Mohun Bagan’s early departure from Federation Cup has raised some serious questions. The first question that was raised was against the attitudes of the Bagan officials – which, fans and members of Mohun Bagan Club feel to be totally unprofessional. It is surprising that no senior member of the management was present in Pune during the Federation Cup. They could have played important roles in motivating the players – but alas they preferred to stay away from the team. Mohun Bagan fans and members are unhappy for the early departure from the Federation Cup – particularly when arch-rivals East Bengal move into the semi-final (even if they continues getting favours from the referees like the previous year’s Federation Cup) – but this does not answer the queries fans and members are having in their minds. Moreover they have decided not to participate in Durand Cup – which is a very poor decision. This means less match practice for Bagan – leading to poor preparation in iLeague!

Some of the questions that keep haunting fans and followers are as follows –

a) There is a question about Simon Storey – what is his condition ? Once Subrata Bhattacharya told that foreign players come to Indian particularly when they are nursing injuries- hence a proper fitness test should have been performed. This was not done and now there is a big question about Storey. Is he fit? Is he worth being our defender? We are yet to come out of the debacle we had last year for recruitment of "Diamondstar" –  is Storey worst than him?

b) Was coach happy with Hudson Lima? mohunbaganclub.com has learnt that coach was not in favour of recruiting him – however Lima was a recruit suggested by Jose Barreto – and hence Bagan had to recruit him. We have no doubts in Barreto’s abilities and commitments- but is Lima’s recruitment worth ?

c) Shilton Pal is our number one goalkeeper for last few seasons – particularly after Sangram has lost his touch. But when will Shilton gain the football sense of when to step out and when not to ? He has made serious mistakes in last 4-5 years – that includes gallery shows that led to conceding goals! He conceded a goal in the first minute of a match (in the second half) against East Bengal – just because he was not in his right position. Once he concedes a goal – he loses his focus and ends up conceding more goals.How many matches did he win for Bagan in last 4-5 years ? We are still relying on him while good goalkeepers were not given chances. This is simply because our goalkeeping coach does not rectify Shilton – and still remains our goalkeeping coach simply because he brings in "co-sponsors!"

A renowned Sport Journalist – a chief sports Editor of Bengal’s leading vernacular newspaper, and a person who covered at least 5 world cups, and a known Mohun Bagan supporter – has always criticised Mohun Bagan’s selection of the defenders. Officials have tried to stop his journalists entering into the club tent – but instead had they listened to his suggestions – Bagan could have got more trophies – and played AFC!

Mohun Bagan officials must reconsider their decisions and should participate in Durand Cup if they want the team to run for the iLeague title – as it is very much clear that the team requires more first class competitive matches to settle down.

 

Gourav Roy, an ardent Mohun Bagan fan – writes an open letter to Mohun Bagan officials.

Dear MOHUNBAGAN Officials,
First of all if it is read by Prince-da please it’s a request that you please put this forward to the addressed officials.
I know you guys must be busy now with some important personal or business works but if you take out five valuable minutes from your time and please read this letter I will be more than obliged. After every unwanted incident you send a letter to FIFA/AIFF so I hope you guys will take care of this letter and will give it a thought.
Hope you have seen the inaugural tournament of the season of Mohunbagan. The same story of last season has started to repeat itself. I knew only this is to be expected from this team. Because Last year also our main concern was our defence line where you recruited only two players (STOREY and Sourav Chakraborty) and left out the most dependable of the lot Deepak Mondol. I don’t know who selected Storey but his heading quality is just awful and other qualities are better not to say. HE acted like a kid when opponents were putting on pressure. You should have checked him thoroughly before handing him a two year contract. Then we have our goal keeper. After the goal Shilton conceded in the last year Kolkata league match against East Bengal I don’t think he should deserve a Mohunbagan jersey in any match afterwards. But he is the main goalkeeper of our team and the recruiters have failed to sign any good goalkeeper also.
You guys recruited all the players of your choice and then one fine day hired a coach named Steve Darby seeing his C.V. In the whole world if you can show me another example where a coach manages a team selected by officials (not even scout or recruiters) your point of doing this is justified. The coach doesn’t even know the players’ strengths and weaknesses. So there is no point blaming the coach
Each and every year two or three persons make the Mohunbagan team taking the full responsibility. They are neither professional football scouts nor football recruiters. They are busy whole year in their own work. Suddenly prior to the recruitment season they wake up and try to recruit some heavy names from the other clubs. But while doing it they don’t take the team balance in calculation. Could you please let me know the name of an Indian player who has shined while playing in Mohunbagan?? Or a foreigner whom you guys have scouted??
You guys think that only by scoring goals we can win every match. But first of all we need to protect our own goal otherwise every time we will face the same problem. So please recruit some football minded people as scout and recruiters. Club officials should only look at the monetary aspect of a recruit and those people should examine the player’s skill or football abilities. Just see at Pune FC they are just some year’s old club and they are now days beating giants like DEMPO just by including professional approach to the team. So, please be professional and make Mohunbagan fans all over the globe proud and happy once again.
Thank you for your precious time. Hope for the best in the rest of the season. Joy Mohunbagan.

Gourav Roy
A Heartbroken Well-wisher of Mohunbagan Athletic Club

Source: http://www.twitlonger.com/show/d6angi

Steve Darby may wish to seek the guidance of his most recent conqueror on how to quell a gathering storm. Pradhyum Reddy’s team lost 3-1 against Churchill Brothers – came back well and won 3-1 against Mohun Bagan -a team with costliest forward line in India. Steve Darby meanwhile has lot to explain to the fans and followers of Mohun Bagan and should be ready to be grilled by the fans of Mohun Bagan when his team is back in Kolkata. Not simply because Mohun Bagan lost, this is the second consecutive defeat in the season (with only 2 matches so far), this was first ever a deal of two consecutive losses for Bagan in a Federation Cup history. That too – against two minnows from North East -who play Second division iLeague.

But – a more important point – what is wrong with Bagan ? A simple answer – lack of leadership in defense – lack of leadership in midfield and poor show by the costly forward line.

Some questions –

1. It is no more the Shilton we knew in 2008. Has his focus been lost? Or is there a phychological problem ? the killer in him is gone. One can recall the goal he gifted Robin singh last year. Today’s third goal was worst than that.

2. Sunil Chettry is considered as  "best Indian forward" in current Indian football. He has failed to score at least 5 goals in 1-to-1 situations. Is he losing his cool when he is inside the box?

3. Odafa is not even 50% match fit. Why didn’t he openly said the same  ? He failed to deliver.

4. When will Rakesh Mahis be matured?

5. Why is Simon Storey in Mohun Bagan jersey?

6. When will Darby be able to get his defenders to concentrate for an entire match ?

Lastly why spend 13 Crored for this team ? What guarantee do we have that Bagan will win a single Trophy this year? When?

The worry, of course is that defeat at the Fed Cup against the lesser known teams could become routine in this season.

God save Mohun Bagan.

 

Mohun Bagan’s humiliation at Balewadi cannot be excused as a bad performance. It cannot be explained by the brilliance of Wahingdoh. It was a culmination of the last 5 yers of Hemanta Dora’s reign as goalkeeping coach of Bagan. It was testament to his total failure to address his side’s glaring flaws. End result – Shilton , Sangram continue to make mistakes for years. It was total and utter mayhem.

Bagan was a favourite in the tournament. After the first match it is doubtful whether the team will qualify for semifinal. Reason ? Poor goalkeeping by Shilton – a disease that cost Bagan at least 10 trophies in last 5 years. Bagan is in final – but concede goals for poor goalkeeping. And the only coaching staff untouched – is Dora.   Don’t worry – another such defeat – Darby will be out and Dora will continue to reign.

Mohun Bagan team for Federation Cup is as follows –
Goal : Sangram Mukherjee, Shilton Paul
Defense : Rakesh Masih, Anwar Ali, Simon Storey, Kingshuk Debnath, Surkumar Singh, Rahim Nabi
Midfield : Satish Kumar Jr., Bungo Singh, N.P.Pradeep, J. Murli, Manish Maithani, Hudson Lima Silva, Jewel Raja
Forward: Jagtar Singh, Ashim Biswas, Sunil Chhetri, Jose Ramirez Barreto(C) Odafa Okolie.
Dr. Protim Roy, Steve Darby, Bernard and Corner are the 4 officials

On behalf of fans, supporters and well wishers, mbc.com wishes all the very best to the squad members and officials for the forthcoming Federation Cup campaign.

In a friendly match Mohun Bagan won 5-1 against Kalighat MS. Nabi, Odafe(2), Jewel and Ashim scored for Bagan. Shilton and Anwar’s mistakes costed Bagan a goal. Odafe was instrumental behind all five goals Bagan scored. Add to it – atleast 5 times either his shot was saved on the goal line or his pass to Sunil or Manish were shot off target by his fellow mates.

This was a game without Jose Barreto. Hence there was an additional load on Odafe. Ad Odafe proved that he is on course to hit peak. A 60% match fit – he was instrumental behind all 5 goals and 5 more opportunities!

 

 

 

 

Such chances were wasted

 

 

 

The striker sparkled against United Sikkim, with a 40% match fitness. His fitness level has slightly gone up – to around 60% in today’s game. Add to it – he was injured in the first half and had to go out of the ground for medical attention.

 

 

 

 

Jewel Raja scores

 

 

 

 

However, Odafe showed his greatness and his sense of final passes within the box. In the last match he played, his understanding with Barreto definitely gave a positive message to the fans and followers. Today’s game is just an indication that, have he be fit – Bagan definitely won’t have a trophyless season this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Odafe passes the ball – and Ashim scores the last goal

The Goalz program have been kicked off at Hrishikesh Park, Kolkata today. This is a project that will use football to encourage young talents from across Kolkata to aim becoming a good footballer. The project is been launched by Mohun Bagan (www.mohunbaganac.com), British Council (www.britishcouncil.org), Premier League (www.premierleague.com), Kolkata Police (www.kolkatapolice.gov.in), Kolkata Municipal Corporation (www.kmcgov.in), All India Football Federation (www.the-aiff.com) and Indian Football Association(the-ifa.org)

The Goalz project was launched in Kolkata on 6 July 2011 by Jeremy Browne, Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, UK, and Sovan Chattopadhyay, Hon’ble Mayor of Kolkata. Madan Mitra, Hon’ble Minister of Sports, Kushal Das, General Secretary, AIFF, Rob Lynes, Director British Council India and Commissioner of Police, R K Pachnanda were present.

Today, Mohun Bagan Club President Mr. Swapan Sadhan Bose and Hon. General Secretary, Mr. Anjan Kumar Mitra,  Mr. Steve Darby, Chief Coach of McDowell Mohun Bagan Team; Mohun Bagan Captain Jose Barreto , Vice Captain Shilton Paul players Hudson Lima Silva and Simon Storey. Mr. Debasish Roy, Additional Commissioner of Police (IV) and Mrs. Sujata Sen, Director East India, British Council were also present at the kick off ceremony.

There will be 50 trainees and will be coached by a team of 8 ex- footballers namely Sankarlal Chakraborty, Nirmalya Haldar, Indrani Sarkar, Kalyan Choubey, Arghya Majumdar,  Abhay Kumar, Bernard Oparanozie, Ranjan Bhattacharya.

The long term plan of this programme is to set up and deliver a sustainable model in Kolkata which could then be potentially replicated across India in collaboration with other police departments, municipal authorities and football clubs.

Source : The British Council, Mohun Bagan AC

“Locura por Messi: un árbitro le pide una foto durante un partido” – that’s what the headline is. If you don’t know Spanish – here is the English version : “Messi Madness: A referee asks for a photo during a match”. The infamous referee continues to humiliate Indian football. This time he was seen capturing Messi’s photo during a recent International match.

The news was published in Argentine websites and has been enough for ridiculing Indian football. The news goes as (translated into English)-

There was no doubt that Lionel Messi was the main attraction of the party the Argentina win against Venezuela in Calcutta. But the fanaticism that generated the best player in the world came to unimaginable limits.

Before the start of the party that ushered in the era Sabela in the selection, one of the assistant referees asked for a photo at the Argentina captain.

This incident seemed fanaticism continued to live on the streets of Calcutta with the arrival of "The Flea". During the match referee Dinesh Nair asked for a photo.

Source  : http://notio.com.ar/deportes/locura-por-messi-un-arbitro-le-pide-una-foto-durante-un-partido-17910
 

Mohun Bagan met United Skiim FC in a practice match at Mohun Bagan Ground. Barreto and Masih scored for Bagan while Babatunde scored a goal for United Sikkim. The ground condition was not good and hence the players seemed not to give their best. The defense was not up to the mark as well. However Bagan striking force missed lot of opportunities to score.

Barreto scored the first goal when he got a final pass from Odafe, and watched the Sikkim goalie coming up to cover the ball. Barreto received the ball and then lobbed it over Sikkim goalie ti make it 1-0.

Later Bagan conceded a gaol when Masih failed to clear a ball and Babatunde scored without any difficulty.

Masih compensated later when he hit a long ranger and the ball kissed the net. It was a brilliant goal indeed.

 

Feliz aniversário Jose Ramirez Barreto – Happy birthday Jose Ramirez Barreto. Mohun Bagan’s captain turns 35 on 3rd September 2011. He is the second heart throb, after Mahanayak Uttam Kumar – the great stalwart whose birthday is celebrated by Mohun Bagan lovers on 3rd September each year.