A letter from the General Secretary of the club has been published in the official site of the club. In the appeal, the Hon. General Secretary has appealed to the supporters and members of the National Club to stand by the beloved club in the moment of crisis and contribute into the club fund. The letter raises some queries and that need to be answered by the club officials to maintain transparency and clear all doubts in the minds of the fans and supporters.

The letter can be read at – http://www.mohunbaganac.com/news-detail/an-appeal-letter-from-hony.-general-secretary-anjan-kumar-mitra

The concerns –

a) The letter is not duly signed

b) The letter mentions forming the football team – but the football team belongs to a Private Limited – so how the club and its members and fans be part of the same?

One of the first to respond positively for the appeal was member, Mohun Bagan club ( Membership number L-665 ) who is also the president of the National Club.

Mohunbaganclub.com wants to be part of the fund raiser and would like to be there beside the club and its officials during the need of the hour. mohunbaganclub.com would also expect the club officials to be transparent and respond to the queries that are there in people’s mind.

Bank a/c details (as published in the official site) –

MOHUN BAGAN ATHLETIC CLUB

(14524) SPECIALISED INSTITUTIONAL BANKING, KOLKATA
STATE BANK OF INDIA
A/C NO: 11143633484
IFSC CODE: SBIN0014524

LONG LIVE MOHUN BAGAN.

Mr. Anjan Mitra has on camera requested Mohun Bagan supporters to be there beside the club officials during the financial crisis of the Club on 27th May 2013. Here’s some queries to the Hon. General Secretary – hoping a proper and written response.

Tthe fund is for the football team or the club?
If football team, then will he be generous to release a white paper mentioning all the contractual ( commercial) details of the employees, coaching staff, non-coaching staff, officials, players of the Company?
Will he disclose the assets and liabilities?
Will the company launch shares – so that the interested parties can purchase the same ?

Mr. Saikat Bose asked the following –

Can the company share the balance sheet of previous 3 years. Need to know the income and expenditure of previous years.  The money that will be collected, the proposed way to utilize it. The fan(s) should be given receipt of the same and the post utilization of the same, same needs to be shared with the fans. They should actively look at introducing share holding pattern in the club and release 26% stake to the fans.

Will the fan(s) post contribution have a say on people like Nirapada never being hired for the club.

Also club should openly release the expected budget, current sponsorship amount + other income; so that fans are aware on what’s the expectation. All such retail funding will have to be available for public dessimation.

Mr. Rana Bose asked –
What is the Club’s road map to attain financial self-sufficiency? Are they approaching business houses like Airtel, Vodafone, Reliance etc., (they may not get crores and crores as sponsorship money because on-field performance being is as bad as Kalighat MS) the fan base is so large it may lure the big houses. What will be the recruitment philosophy/policy,  long-term planning etc. etc.

Mr. Indranil Ray was happy that Mr. Mitra finally wanted to share his burdens with  Mohun Bagan fans whom he considered "outsiders"

Mr. Dipanjan Chatterjee feels that post contribution there should be some representatives from supporters who would liasion with ec to ennsure proper utilization of donated money.  Mr. Mitra should clearly mention the strategy to sell merchandise globally to raise fund.

Mr Saibal Mitra mentioned that the supporters will buy shares of the company if needed- this can be a step towards raising fund.

While the supporters are willing to extend their support to the club officials, they would like to know if l Mr. Mitra , his kins and the "non-technical" officials (excepting the Football Secretary) stay away from the dressing room of the football team? They would also like to know if Mr. Mitra is willing to take the moral responsibility for the debacles in last few years- more this year- even a club like East Bengal won against us and give a statement towards the same? The officials made large mistakes in not participating in Durand Cup, in handling the Bhaichung Bhutia, Tolgay Ozbey, withdrawing the team against East Bengal in 1st Leg of iLeague this season – and the club suffered because of the same.

By saying so – the fans wish Mr. Mitra a speedy recovery and hope Mohun Bagan will recover from this crisis created due to mismanagement!
 

I initially thought of penning down a protect against Mitra and his wrong thoughts that led to the worst season for Mohun Bagan in last 35 years (well – I must say “so far” since Mitra is still there at a very senior post in the Football Company and the Club!)

However, I came to know about some decisions that were taken before the game yesterday that went against us ; and one should not forget the decisions that were taken from the middle of the last season – that went against Mohun Bagan.

Keeping Mitra aside (we all know his wrong doings and how Mohun Bagan was affected because of the same), I would like to focus on what Dutta did for (or against) us!

We have learnt that Dutta influenced the Chief Coach to put Eche into the playing XI – the mistake he made earlier when he put an injured Barreto in the squad that went against us! If that was not enough – it is alleged that he recommended Nirmal to be put in the stopper back position that misfired. Everybody on earth knows that Dutta is not the best of the technical persons in India – or even in Mohun Bagan – perhaps even the gardener is more technical than Dutta and has more football sense than Dutta. Dutta is well known as recruiter – and had that been the only job he could have done properly (unfortunately many players did not sign for us since the relationship between the players and Dutta were not at their best – a personal problem – and Bagan is the sufferer)

This was not for the first time this complaint was lodged against Dutta – one can recall Darby sitting out in vital Fed Cup matches, Bhowmik sitting tight in the dugout region in vital iLeague matches – few examples to recall!

Ex-coaches have also serious complaints that Dutta’s handling the players are worse and his behaviours demotivate the players rather than motivating them! End result – Bagan suffering!

Mohun Bagan could have been relegated to the iLeague second Division because of wrong doings of Mitra and Dutta – they first took a decision, and then failed to prove that the decision was right!  The regime subsequently underwent multiple changes in the coaching since them came to power in 2005, leaving their fans disillusioned with the actions of these officials!

We are not sure if UB Group have expressed the company’s desire to persist with the club while still harbouring hope of back to India’s top flight and Sid Mallya’s desire to exercise the club’s brand in the Indian football circuit.  If he really wants to do that he must take steps in keeping Mitra/Dutta from the team and they must not exploit their positions and influence the players and the coach.

Sid Mallya – wake up now since it is already too late.