After two years away, Brendan Hamill is back at Melbourne Victory. In an interview with aleagues.com.au, the Australian defender reflects on his time in the Indian Super League and his big motivation heading into season 2024-25.
Life is full of experiences, and football is no different. Especially when you are immersing yourself in a new culture.
For Melbourne Victory recruit Brendan Hamill, his trophy-laden time with Indian Super League (ISL) giants Mohun Bagan went beyond the joy of silverware alongside his close Aussie friend Dimitri Petratos and former Central Coast Mariners star Jason Cummings.
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“Jason Cummings went over a year into my tenure and there was nothing I could say to him to prepare him for what is coming,” Hamill told aleagues.com.au.
“In terms of culture shock, way of living, football, football mentality, business, the whole lot.
“You have to go there and experience it, and let it sink in. Just take it in. Do as the Romans do. You have to adapt and fit into their culture. It’s totally different to what it is here. It’s interesting.”
Hamill continued: “It was a shock how they do things. I went over with my family. Everyone was very welcoming. The club I was at attended to everything.
“It’s just interesting to see how they are as people and how they operate, and how they work in football. Just going with the flow because you get curveballs every single day.”
After winning the 2021 Australia Cup with Victory, Hamill made the move to Mohun Bagan in 2022.
During his stint with the ISL powerhouse, the 31-year-old established himself as a cult hero during a period which saw Mohun Bagan win their first ISL Cup, to go with a Premier’s Plate and the Durand Cup.
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“It was an experience,” Hamill reflected. “It was a humbling experience. Taking in a different country and culture. On the football front, it was quite successful. Won a Championship, a Premier’s Plate and a Cup.
“Got some good game time in Asia in the AFC Cup last season. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a great experience overall.”
In April, Hamill and Mohun Bagan got their hands on a maiden ISL Shield after dethroning defending champions Mumbai City in the title decider in front of more than 60,000 fans.
“The stadium was full. I think it’s an 80-90,000-seat stadium,” Hamill said.
“I think legally they’re only allowed to put it in 60-65,000 but the rules sort of go out the window there, so it was probably closer to 75-80,000.
“It’s pretty insane. Last game of the season, Shield on the line and a full stadium. Winning the league. It was pretty incredible. The scenes. Regardless wherever you play, you can’t take that away from us.”
It encapsulated the stature of Mohun Bagan, who have since recruited the Isuzu UTE A-League’s all-time leading goalscorer Jamie Maclaren and Brisbane Roar captain Tom Aldred, and their standing in East Asian football.
“They’re the biggest team in India. The biggest fan base. I think last season they averaged the third most highest attendances in East Asia. 30,000 a game,” he recalled.
“They’re always showing up to games, always stopping you in the street. Your social media blows up when you go there. They show a lot of love. I’m grateful for that. You saw Macca land at the airport – they show a lot of love. They go to every away game and give you gifts.”
In the words of Hamill, Mohun Bagan’s tifo game was also “next level”.
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Told he looked like Australian Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth, fans displayed a huge tifo of Hamill as Hollywood superhero ‘Thor’ – played by Hemsworth.
“I scored a goal and then did a Thor celebration – in that stance trying to get his hammer,” Hamill laughed. “They said on social media to do it if I score. The tifos they do – they do something crazy every game.
“It’s honestly next level. It’s insane. Hats off to them.”
There weren’t just big numbers at matches either. Supporters turned out at training sessions to catch a glimpse of Hamill, Petratos and Co.
Hamill and Petratos, in particular, were hot property in Kolkata… even causing motorbike accidents.
“It wasn’t like royalty but they do it very well over there. You think about it, there’s 1.4 billion people there so they automatically have more bums on seats, more eyes on football just purely on the numbers,” Hamill said.
“We’re going to training we have 100 people every training session, wanting selfies and autographs. You’re walking through the streets, you’re going to the shopping centres and you’re always getting stopped.
“It’s huge, it’s actually huge. Most of the time I was with Dimi and he’s very popular over there. Then they recognise me after. The passion the fans have – they were unbelievable. The city, there’s essentially two teams – East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. It’s a huge, huge rivalry. It’s like a religion is involved in it too.
“Me and Dimi bought scooters and were riding to Starbucks everyday. People were on their motorbikes causing crashes just trying to stop us to get selfies. It’s crazy.
“You feel like you’re loved. You feel like what you’re doing means a lot.”
It was a priceless experience for Hamill and former Sydney FC, Brisbane Roar, Newcastle Jets and Western Sydney Wanderers forward Petratos.
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“We went to school with each other in Westfield Sports High School. We played with each other and against each other through the ranks,” Hamill said.
“We were there experiencing it together. Both our families were there at the same time. It was good for them to have each other when we were away at training. We were staying at a 5-star hotel and you’re kind of locked up and constrained to that.
“Dimi’s doing heaps well and then Jason came. Then we had some other foreigners too. Roy Krishna and David Williams were there too. They very much love Australians.
“They like the way we work and our attitude. We work hard and get on with it. We don’t bring any problems, we’re just there to work. Typical Aussie mentality and I think they appreciate that. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.”
While A-Leagues champion Petratos continues to star with Mohun Bagan, Hamill has returned to Australia for the upcoming Isuzu UTE A-League season.
Sydney-born Hamill – who won the 2014 AFC Champions League with Western Sydney Wanderers – admitted a homecoming was “probably the number one choice” because of his young family, before Victory came knocking.
The ex-Melbourne City, Wanderers and Western United centre-back wanted to play for the “biggest club in the league”.
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“I had a couple of offers in India but they weren’t right,” Hamill said.
“I had a bit of interest in Sydney and I’m a Sydney boy. That was probably the no.1 choice because I have a young family.
“But I spoke to my missus. Two years ago I thoroughly enjoyed my time (at Victory), the setup and the club. It was kind of like, if Melbourne Victory came knocking, it was a no-brainer. Whenever I was there, it landed me and my missus at that decision.
“Especially my missus, she has her family, friends and support network in Sydney and three young kids but if she’s saying if Victory come knocking you have to go. That just speaks volumes of how they operate, the club’s mentality, they want to win and want to win silverware.
“It’s my mentality. I’m not in it to participate. I want to win things. PK and JD gave me a call to see if I was interested and I didn’t hesitate. It’s the biggest club in the league and that’s where I want to be.”
In Hamill’s first stint, Victory – led by Tony Popovic at the time – won the Australia Cup and reached the Isuzu UTE A-League Semi-Finals.
With Patrick Kisnorbo at the helm, 2023-24 Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Finalists Victory are preparing for the Australia Cup quarter-finals and a Round 1 trip to defending champions Central Coast Mariners.
The club have been busy in the transfer market, bringing in former Panathinaikos and Olympiacos striker Nikos Vergos, Josh Rawlins, Reno Piscopo, Jack Duncan, Jing Reec and Socceroo Mitch Langerak, who will return to the club from J1 League giants Nagoya Grampus in January.
Victory have also promoted Alex Menelaou (academy graduate), Luka Kolić (academy graduate) and Daniel Graskoski (academy graduate).
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“I think we have a good squad but that doesn’t do anything. It depends how we play. We’re working on that through the pre-season,” Hamill said.
“On top of that, the club’s mentality – they will do whatever it takes to win. That along with the coaching staff and the way we want to play and the squad, hopefully. We have a long way to go.”
For Hamill, he has won the AFC Champions League, Australia Cup, ISL Cup and Shield, and the Durant Cup.
However, he hasn’t won an Isuzu UTE A-League Championship.
“That’s why I couldn’t say no to Victory,” he replied.
“They have a couple and I’m desperate for one. I’ve had success over the past couple of seasons and once you have it, you don’t want to get rid of it. You want to keep having it.
“Ultimately that’s the reason I came to Victory. Our values align in whatever it takes to get a Championship.”
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