Mariners reached to Siliguri on 15th August for residential camp.As many as 30 players including 3 foreigners Barreto, Chidi, Muritala and a PAO named Okwy Diamondstar joined in residential camp. Chiddi did not practice today because he had some fever. New PAO will start practice from Tuesday as well.

15th August, Independence Day of India and the foundation day of National Club of India Mohun Bagan Athletic Club. Mohun Bagan Sporting Club, as it was initially known, was founded on 15 August 1889. The club’s first meeting was held at 14, Balaram Ghosh Street in Kolkata and included several high profile individuals including Bhupendra Nath Bose who was later to become the President of the Indian National Congress. The club’s first secretary was Jatindranath Basu.

The club’s first ground was at the famous marble palace, known as Mohun Bagan Villa. It was situated at Fariapukur Street, in northern Kolkata. Not sufficiently large enough as football field, it is believed that Mohun Bagan played their first ever match on this very ground against the students of Eden Hindu hostel. The club’s membership requirements at this time stipulated that the management required students to join with permission from their parents, and special attention was given to etiquette and education. Shortly before the club’s first anniversary, students of Presidency College, who were also the members of Mohun Bagan, invited their professor, the famous grammatologist Prof. F.J. Rhow to visit. Rhow pointed out that due to a lack of facilities for sports such as shooting and angling, the word ‘Athletic’ would be more appropriate. Thus, the club came to be known as "Mohun Bagan Athletic Club". The 2nd anniversary assembly was presided by Sir Thomas Holland who was later appointed as a member of Governor General Council.

In 1891, the benevolence of the Maharaja of Shyampukur, Durga Charan Laha saw the club’s ground relocated to his grounds at Shyampukur. Later, with the assistance of Mr. Harry Lee, the chairman of Kolkata Corporation, the club’s ground moved to Shyam Square which it now shared with the Aryans Club and Bagbazar Club. Mohun Bagan’s first tournament was the Coochbehar Cup, which was held in 1893. Mohun Bagan’s first opponent team was a European team, the ‘C’ Company of Sussex Regiment.

The first sport to be played is reported to be football, but other games were soon introduced to the club. This included hockey, tennis, badminton and athletics. Cricket was introduced to the club’s schedule in the 1900s. The annual athletics event at the club is held with great pomp and show.

The biggest event in the club calendar is the Mohun Bagan Day. This is held on 29 July, which is the day the football team lifted the IFA Shield for the first time in 1911 defeating the British. "Mohun Bagan is not a football team. It is an oppressed country, rolling in the dust, which has just started to rise its head" – said Achintya Kumar Sengupta in "Kallol Jug" magazine after the historic victory of 1911 IFA Shield.

A postage stamp was issued by the Government of India in 1989 during the club’s centenary year to commemorate the 1911 victory of the team. The then Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi honoured Mohun Bagan with the title as the "National Club of India" for boosting up the Indian Nationalism which occurred after this win.

May be it is co-incidence but foudantion of Mohun Bagan and Independence of India came in same date except the years. It is true that Mohun Bagan’s IFA Shield victory  brought storm to the freedom fighting of India. The confidence of younf bengali and Indian youth became strong by this incidence. This year Mohun Bagan is celebrating 100 years of that memorable victory. Being a Mohun Bagan players and supporters everybody feels so proud .

MohunBaganclub.com wishes all the fans very very happy Independence Day.

Mohun Bagan has released ace right back and match winner Habibur Rahman Mandal here on 12th August. Mandal was away from the football ground for the season 2009-10 and was in the team list for the current season. But the team management was not happy with his fitness and has released him. The management feels while he might not get into the playing XI for the club, Mandal can actually fit into first XI for other city clubs that will help him improve his fitness and condition. Mohun Bagan has also rcruited Satyabrata Bhowmick as the Assistant Coach for the current season. In a press release on 12th August, the club secretary imformed the media about the same.

 

The press release goes as mentioned below –

Kolkata , 12-Aug, 2010 : Mr. Satyabrata Bhowmick, ex-footballer of our Club has been appointed as Assistant Coach of Mohun Bagan for the present football season. Mr. Bhowmick is an AFC "B" License Football Coach.

ANJAN KUMAR MITRA

HONY. GENERAL SECRETARY

——————————————————————

The fans and supporters have shared their views on the same as follows-

Rana Bose feels that Habibur can shift his career to coaching and focus on AFC license.

Sovan Chakraborty feels Habibur should have been retained and feels Satyabrata bhowmick was a good defender.

Dipankar Saha feels Mohun Bagan should have retained Mandal for he was a good right back – otherwise the coach will have to arrange for makeshift right backs in the season. Dipankar welcomes Bhowmick as assistant coach.

Rajat Subhra Banerjee strongly recommends to have a physio for the team as he welcomes Bhowmick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excellent training facilities to say the least, this is the basic difference between HAL, Bangalore, where I spent my last 2 years and Mohun Bangan. Moreover, the ground conditions, the backup staffs, the huge fan base just makes things more exciting. It has been splendid going so far, just getting geared for attending the pre-season camp at Siliguri, North Bengal. I’m damn excited! We’ll leave for Siliguri on Sunday, August 15.

Being asked about the equation between the other Bangalore connection, that is the Mohun Bagan’s coach Stanley, Sathish sounded very rational, “There is no such leeway for hailing from the same city, nice thing is that that he treats everyone equal. Even though I commit any mistake, there is no such pressure. There is always a way to rectify mistakes, coach gives that much needed breathing space.”

Satish jr. is staying in the Mohun Bagan mess at the busy Elliot road and shares the space between captain Ishfaq, Manish Maithani, and other newcomers Jacken Sebastian and Dhanrajan.

Jose Barreto arrived in town quietly to play yet another season for the Mariners. After arriving at Dum Dum Airport he told reporters, “I am confident that with Murithala joining our squad, we will be able to score more goals. I have played alongside Chidi and now Muritala will be joining us. I am hopeful that Mohun Bagan will do well this season.” Barreto was looking very happy about this year’s team and specially about Muritala Ali, the new recruitment from Mahindra.

He will not practice with the ball yet, he will do only physical training for the first two weeks, Though he did some physical training in Brazil. He said, "After a tough season, your body needs adequate rest. Having got that I am raring to go. It’s not that I have only enjoyed my holiday in Brazil, I have also done some physical training for the past few weeks. I am feeling fitter than ever before. I would be straightaway hitting the gym."

From Tuesday Mohun Bagan team will practice for two sessions. In the mornings the team will have swimming pool sessions at Howrah, then in the afternoons field practice.

Meanwhile Coach Stanley Rozario returned from visiting Kanchen Jungha Stadium at Siliguri. He is eager for a residential camp there and he is happy to see the facilities at Kanchen Jungha Stadium. He wants to hold the camp for a minimum of 15 days. However, he pushed it to the court of officials for the ultimate decision.

 

 

Picture Courtesy : Aajkaal

A pair of goals by Ishfaq Ahmed and Santosh Oraon in the second half brought victory for Mohun Bagan against a Challengers-XI. The challengers XI was mostly made up of the contestants of a private TV channel’s football based reality show. Former Bagan player Dipendu Biswas also played for them. The team’s coach is former Brazilian World Cupper Branco, and the mentor of the team is Diego Forlan, the Golden Ball winner of 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The Uruguayan star was present in the field and a jam packed Yuba Bharati Krirangan saw the hero of their dreams, the best player of the world Diego Forlan in front of them.

The Mohun Bagan team was not really in shape to play a competitive match because a lot of their players are in the Santosh Trophy squad and also in the National Camp. Only 14 players are now practicing, with even the foreigners yet to join the squad, though Muritala Ali has reached Kolkata. In the presence of such World stars like Diego Forlan and Branco, the match was a prestige one for Mohun Bagan. Mohun Bagan won the match 2-0. Ishfaq Ahmed scored a goal in the 38th minute and the second  goal scored by new comer Santosh Oraon in the 70th minute. There were a lot of easy chances missed by Ashim Biswas and Ishfaq Ahmed, though Bagan won the match comfortably.

Mohun Bagan President Tutu Bose and Finance Secretary Debasish Dutta presented a Green and Maroon scarf and a model of a sailing boat, the club emblem, to Diego Forlan.

 

Picture Courtesy : Sangbad Pratidin