“Quit Like a Champ”! Is his dream coming true ?

It  was Shibaji Banerjee’s wish  to retire from the team of Technical Directors after celebrating Mohun Bagan’s 3rd I League Title. He dreamt to quit after achieving the success!

Father & Son
Shibaji Banerjee with his son Shantanu Banerjee

Shantanu Banerjee: Mohun Bagan has travelled to Aizwal to face the all important clash, which happens to be the title decider of the league. Both Bagan and Aizwal stand at the top of the table with 33 points after playing 16 matches each, with Mariners having a better goal difference.

Mohun Bagan eyes to win the second I-League within a span of 3 years, and the players are geared up to give their 100% on the field.
The last time we won the league was in the season on 2014-15 and with tears filling up my eyes I still recollect a sight of my Dad jumping frantically and waving his shirt like a child. This year would have been no different had he been alive. I miss him and all our wonderful conversations on sports and our other common interests which occurred daily during the early morning tea and the dinner session which lasted more than an hour.

With the passing days, specially the news of Mohun Bagan’s glorious journey in the I- League this season, I miss him more to be beside him and see the joy in his heart.

In this edition, inconsistency of the Bagan captain Katsumi Yusa, was a bit of concern for dad, but that too was short lived after the Japanese Captain found the net after scoring from the spot in the match against DSK Shivajians, and today I feel that match was a turning point in the run-up and had given a lot of impetus to the team.

Mohun Bagan started this year’s League campaign on a high note but lagged during the mid season and is back on track to finish the league as champions.

Looking forward to tomorrow’s game at Aizwal, The Green and Maroon brigade will have to face a very hostile environment with the entire stadium playing against them. I recollect how Dad enjoyed the football frenziness and specially in matches which are not considered to be derbys. He always cherished the days of JCT and Salgaocar, teams which had huge fan base apart from the two important team of the Calcutta Maidans.

Aizwal begins on high note and has all the advantage on their side. Football being a game played in the field, it too is a game of keeping composure and that is what is vital for the Bagan players.

Each of the Bagan players will have to be hungry and desperate to achieve 3 points and secure the title with one game remaining in hand.

There should not be complacency in the side and Dad would have requested the players and specially Sanjay Sen to keep an eye on it.

It’s a vital game and Bagan side should not settle for anything else other than 3 points from tomorrow’s game.

Dad used to say the team should be well aware of the things and tactics before playing a vital game like this. The strategy should be well defined and players would have to be aware of what they need to deliver.

Dad also used to say that like all senior players of the team should pave a way for young players for the team, he too should make way for others to become a part of the technical committee. He was happy that he got an opportunity to serve the club post his retirement from Kolkata Port Trust where he served the last 20 years of his career as the Sports Director. He also assured to be a part of Mohun Bagan in any other manner if the management needed his service. Mohun Bagan to him meant the world.

Since the time he was assigned a role in 2013, he was contended with the fact that right from the top management, the coaching staff, the technical committee, players and support staff were unified with a single mission- ‘to be the champions’. The entire unit had a programmed structure.

But life has its own way of taking things, and my dad left us two months ago by casting a huge shadow of grief over millions of Mariner’s all over the world.
I firmly believe that he is watching everything from heaven above and is happy watching the team’s progress and I also believe that if Mohun Bagan wins against Aizwal tomorrow he would shed his tears of joy.

Bless the team Dad !