Kolkata: City giant Mohun Bagan’s heartthrob Sony Norde begins the training with the squad for the forthcoming I-League Season. The star Haitian winger was present at the ground on Tuesday too but he didn’t practice with the team due to jet lag. More responsibilities would be on Sony as he will lead the side in the I-League. Today, for the first time all the six foreigners did practice together for the first time.
Former Mohun Bagan captain Katsumi Yusa has joined arch-rivals East Bengal for the forthcoming season. Earlier Mohun Bagan coach Sanjoy Sen said, Katsumi was not in his wish list for this season but Sony looked a bit down after Katsumi’s departure.” I am missing Katsumi a lot. He was Bagan’s most successful footballer for last three seasons. Hope to meet him soon again,” said Sony Norde.
The Mohun Bagan captain wore jersey number 16 in last couple of seasons, but for the first time he would dawn the jersey number 10 this season, on being asked about the matter, Sony said,” I used to wear jersey number 10 when I was at Dhaka’s Sk. Jamal Dhanmandi Club. But when I came to Bagan, I saw Katsumi in that jersey, I respect him a lot and that’s the reason I wore jersey number 16. But now as Katsumi is not with us, I will dawn the jersey number 10 for my side.”
The Green and Maroon Brigade haven’t won the I-League in last couple of season’s time. Sony looked confident ahead of the beginning of the campaign.” I always think like a captain of the side, whenever I take the field. We want to rectify all our faults of the last season to win the I-League this year. I believe all the players will give their hundred percent for the team.”
According to him Mohun Bagan played great football in the recently concluded Sikkim Governors Gold Cup and they want to continue that momentum in the I-League too.
Sony had offers from the ISL clubs like Bengaluru FC, Delhi Dynamos, FC Pune City and Jamshedpur. He also had offers from Mexico and Turkey, but he preferred to play for Mohun Bagan. On being asked about this decision, He said,” I had offers from various clubs. But I have come here only for the supporters. They love me a lot and I couldn’t turn down their plea.”
Sony did some light training under the guidance of club physio Samiran Nag, Bagan’s another star foreigner Ansumana Kromah also did the same today.