KARIM DOING AFC A LICENCE; HALF TRUTH REGARDING BAICHUNG’S SUSPENSION

Mohun Bagan coach is presently in Singapore attending AFC “A” coaching certificate. He had done a Diploma from University of Leipzig in Germany which is equivalent to AFC “B” coaching certificate. Apart from this, he has done Bachelor in Sports Science in Morocco. Regarding showcause and suspension of Baichung, one Bengali daily is continously publishing half truth that the player has been suspended only for missing the charity match held in Jalpaiguri WHICH IS NOT AT ALL TRUE. READ FULL REPORT

Yesterday AFC has informed AIFF that all I league teams must have qualified coaches on their rolls and this is one of the primary pre-requisites for India to secure a spot in the AFC Champions league. There is no restriction, however, on I-league teams vying for a slot in the AFC Cup, Asian’s second tier club competition. AFC said that most of Indian coaches do not fit into their AFC Champions league criteria. AFC has sent a list which includes 8 coaches of I league.

Mohun Bagan coach, Karim Bencherifa, now in his second season with Mariners, has done a Diploma from the University of Leipzig in Germany. Karim sent his papers to AFC few months back and got an answer from AFC that the Diploma which he has done is equivalent to the AFC "B" Coaching Certificate. Right now, Karim is in Singapore attending the AFC "A" license course, as he told us before leaving Kolkata following his successful stint with Mohun Bagan.

Meanwhile, a Bengali daily for the last number of days has continuously being reporting that Bhaichung has been showcaused and afterwards suspended by Mohun Bagan ONLY for not participating in the Jalpaiguri match which is HALF TRUTH.

THE REPORTERS OF THIS BENGALI DAILY MUST BE UNAWARE OF THE FULL SHOWCAUSE LETTER. FOR THEIR BENEFIT AND ALSO FOR ALL MOHUN BAGAN FANS, WE ARE ONCE AGAIN LISTING THE POINTS.

• Bhaichung missed vital practice sessions of our Team during the ONGC I-League. He joined the Team for the last ONGC I-League match at New Delhi without attending the venue practice before this match.

• He played the Super Cup match at Gurgaon (match to ascertain the Champion Club of India) without attending the venue practice and arrived at 1:30 am (midnight) in the morning of the match day.

• He refused to play the AFC Cup away match against Kuwait SC citing injury but later we found out that he had gone to Mumbai to participate in a dance reality show and showed no signs of injury when the program was telecast later on TV.

• He did not attend practice sessions of the Team at Amman, Jordan for the away match earlier this month against Al Wehdat in the AFC Cup and reached Amman at 1 am in the morning on the day of the match. Consequently his performance was not upto the mark.

• A charity match for Football Development was organized outstation by our Club. Bhaichung did not turn up at the Airport and his Boarding Card had to be cancelled at the very last minute. He did not participate in this match and the spectators were angry. Neither was there any reason for his absence nor did he inform any Official of the Club.

• Bhaichung was more focused on the dance reality show and Football had become his secondary interest. Inspite of his absence and misconduct he has received all his payments due to him for the 2008-2009 football season.

SO IT MUST BE CLEAR TO THEM THAT BAICHUNG IS SHOWCAUSED AND SUSPENDED NOT ONLY FOR MISSING ON THE CHARITY MATCH AND WE SINCERELY HOPE THAT FROM NEXT TIME THIS BENGALI DAILY GIVE THE WHOLE TRUTH.

Just because the show cause letter was given after the Jalpaiguri match does not mean that it has been done only for missing the charity match. If action had been taken before Super Cup match or before AFC Cup match, it could have caused problem inside team regarding team spirit. So club officials rightly first made the team for coming season by signing remaining players in contract paper and then took action against him. In Mohun Bagan club, every player is treated in same way irrespective of whether he is an icon or it is his first season.

What kind of professional is a player when he refused to play a match saying he is nursing injury but instead goes to participate in a dance reality show? Where is the professionalism when he misses last practice session before the all important last round match of the I league match and also Super cup match?

It would have been unfair to let someone get away with gross misconduct only on the ground that he is an “Icon in Indian Football.” Were Football Greats like Maradona and Zidane not booked by Referees for their fouls committed or should Referees chose to look away just because of their popularity and contribution for the game? In fact an Icon is meant to be more professional on and off the field.

 

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