Mohun Bagan aim for the top

Tuesday, 29. September 2009 - Pit Ruddy

The IFA Shield and the Durand Cup are traditional trophies in Indian football but their worth is no longer measured in gold. This year both the tournaments were used by the various coaches as a warm-up and testing phase for the forthcoming I-League to gauge where their teams stand as far as fitness, co-ordination and implementation of ideas are concerned.

The surprising fact this year was that both the tournaments ended with Churchill Brothers and Mohun Bagan clashing in the final and Churchill emerged victorious on both the occasions. A new season with the arrival of another new set of footballers and yet Mohun Bagan reached the finals of both the tournaments. A winners’ trophy in either tournament would have definitely given Karim Bencharifa and his boys that extra bit of boost before the I-league. However, their performance in those tournaments should not be heartbreaking at all because the Green and Maroon brigade have already made a mark on the national stage this season. They will definitely be the team to watch out for in the I-League. Moreover, Mohun Bagan will also carry the burden of expectations of the entire state of West Bengal given the recent predicaments in the East Bengal camp.


Strengths:

Mohun Bagan’s biggest strength is that they have retained the nucleus of the team which had been put together meticulously last season. Coach Karim Bencharifa is still at the helm of affairs. He has with him the evergreen Jose Ramirez Barreto, the ever-reliable Dipak Mondal and the budding talent Rakesh Masih with the rock-solid Sangram Mukherjee in goal. Shilton Pal’s recent performances have also earned admiration from various quarters and Sangram’s deputy will certainly push him hard for a place in the starting line-up.

The players forming the core of the team are already comfortable with Karim’s thoughts and ideas. They understand very quickly and clearly what the coach is demanding from them or what the team should be aiming for and in turn pass it on to the juniors or the ones who have recently joined the team. This was fully evident in both the tournaments they have played this season. Despite the absence of major players like Barreto and Ishfaq Ahmed in the IFA Shield and Marcos and Ishfaq Ahmed in the Durand Cup, the team didn’t look out of ideas. A silent worker, Coach Karim Bencharifa has really organised his team well and this organisation is the strength the other teams have to watch out for.

The strike partnership of Chidi Edeh and Jose Ramirez Barreto is still in its infancy but given the potential threat it poses, it might just turn out to be the crucial advantage for Mohun Bagan.


Weakness:

Defence and only defence should be Karim’s main worry for the upcoming I-League. He has options galore in all departments but in spite of the presence of Dipak Mondal, Surkumar Singh, Rakesh Masih, N. S. Manju (injured, will take some time to return to action), Mohanraj and youngsters like Sheikh Azim, the coach will definitely try to reorganise the back four. An Asian or PIO defender could be the order of the day.


Coach speak:

Karim Bencharifa is a positive man and looks for positives even in moments of distress. The man believes in his team and it was evident when he said - “My team has definitely given me a lot of positive signals in the two tournaments we have played. We were without two or three of our main players in both the tournaments. We have a few new players who have just joined and are still settling down. On the whole, as a coach, I feel we are on the right track before the start of the big league.”


Management speak:

The Mohun Bagan management feels that it doesn’t have to make its presence felt by big talks. The club officials are working silently and are confident that they can provide the coach and the team with further ammunition to finish at the top of the I-league.


Key players:

Sangram Mukherjee, Dipak Mondal, Rakesh Masih, Marcos and Jose Ramirez Barreto.