Sabyasachi Bagchi, Siliguri: Kolkata giant East Bengal will be aiming to win the Calcutta Football League for a record eighth time when they will face arch rivals Mohun Bagan in a do or die match of the Calcutta Football League 2017 at the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri tomorrow. Both the teams are on 19 points in 7 games, but the Red & Gold Brigade has an upper hand on the Green & Maroon side as they are ahead of them due to goal difference. If East Bengal somehow manages to play a draw with Mohun Bagan they will become the winners of the League for a record eighth consecutive times.
There is a rain threat at Siliguri tomorrow. According to East Bengal coach Khalid Jamil they don’t have any problem to play in any situations.”It’s not in our hand. We don’t have any problem to play in rain; my team is ready for every situation.”
Siliguri is known to be the den of East Bengal as they have a lot of supporters in the city. Khalid Jamil knows that pretty well and he urged the supporters to come in numbers to cheer for the team.”I just want to tell them to come in numbers tomorrow to support the team. They are the 12th man for the team and we need their support to win the match.”
After winning the I-League for Aizawl FC last season, Khalid joined the Red & Gold Brigade and so far his journey in the Calcutta Football League is pretty good. For the first time in the ongoing season Khalid will face a tough opponent and the East Bengal gaffer admitted that too at the end of the practice session today.”This is one of the toughest matches of my career in East Bengal and I hope everything will go well tomorrow,” said Jamil.
Last season Khalid Jamil’s Aizawl FC beat Mohun Bagan in the decider to clinch the I-League title. He has now the same situation here too with East Bengal as if they win or play a draw tomorrow the Red & Gold Brigade will win the title. Though Khalid doesn’t want to compare the matches as the situations are totally different.”I don’t want to compare this match with that game. The situations are different. This is a new challenge for me, they are very good side and we are not taking them lightly,” added Khalid.
Khalid has no complaint regarding the referring or the with the ground condition, he only wants his team to play well tomorrow.
Khalid was in all praise for his opponents. He thinks every player for Mohun Bagan can win matches for the team on their own.” Kamo, Kromah and Kingsley all are very good foreigners and the Indian players too are playing well for them.”
Khalid shared the same dressing room with Kamo and Kingsley. On being asked whether it would be an advantage for them, the East Bengal gaffer said,” We all know each other. I am only concerned about my team. I want to win the match for the supporters and want to dedicate the win to them as a Puja gift.”
Kanchenjunga Stadium have a capacity of 22 thousand but the IFA has only given 10,000 tickets for sell as there is not much craze in Siliguri for the derby. Six thousand tickets have been sent to Kolkata for selling but only 4,000 supporters have picked the ticket for the Kolkata derby. The grounds men have started to trim the grass after the practice session to prepare the ground ahead of the much anticipated derby.