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[caption id="attachment_12128" align="alignnone" width="604"] Bengaluru FC emerged champions for the second time in the I-league. Image Source: Bengaluru FC[/caption] Kolkata: Bengaluru FC has been emerged as the champions of Hero I-League 2015-16 after they beat Salgaocar 2-0 last night. They still have a game in hand against Mohun Bagan on 23^rd April. Bengaluru FC emerged into the scene in 2013 and was crowned champions of the I-league in their debut season as well. Last year they won the Federation Cup beating Dempo and were runners-up in the I-league after sharing points with Mohun Bagan. Here are the following reasons behind Bengaluru FC’s success: Defensive Strength: The centre-back pairing of Curtis Osano and John Johnson, both imports from the Premier League was instrumental in the success of Bengaluru FC. If the Blues were lethal in front of goal it was because of the cover that was afforded by their defense which worked their socks off. The two defenders are strong aerially and so far haven't let any of the strikers dominate them in air. Add to this, Johnson can also put his head to good use by scoring at the other end. None of the I-League teams have opted for two foreign central defenders. Bengaluru FC have shown that a strong defense is the platform for the attacking players to thrive upon. Player Selection: Bengaluru FC have almost retained the same squad for the last three seasons as not much chipping and chopping has been done with the core players. They have hunted for young talent in the likes of Udanta Singh, Semilen Doungel, Malsawmzuala, Siam Hanghal, Alwyn George, Lalchhuan Mawia. Ashley Westwood and Co. had nourished these players from the pre season itself. Udanta Singh is the biggest example. The young 18 year lad’s consistent performance helped him earn a place in the India National team. “Rejects” proving their worth: Ashley Westwood and his assistant, Pradhyum Reddy picked up players who were basically 'rejects' from most I-League clubs. Almost every player had to undergo trials and Westwood brought out the best from each of the players. Players like Alwyn George, Beikhokhei, Lyngdoh and Thoi Singh all have been rejected from their former clubs. Ashley and his team had a superb man management system throughout the three seasons which is also a pillar of success. Home Form: Often teams who win the championship have a dominant home record, something which Bengaluru FC took a note of. They had a staggering home form at Kanteerava which is also known as the Fortress for Bengaluru FC. They hardly lose any match at their Fortress and one of the most important part of their domination at the Kanteerava has been the chants and support from their fans throughout the 90 minutes amidst of whatever the result may be. Sunil Chettri in the upfront: The Indian international had troubles adjusting to Ashley Westwood's decision to stick him down the left gradually got into the groove. Like other seasons he did not score more goals but kept on assisting and guiding the team and its young players. He shared his experience with the younger lot. After joining Bengaluru FC, Sunil Chhetri injury concerns have decreased a lot with the innovative training sessions under Bengaluru FC’s medical team. Westwood the boss: The usual virus that plagues Indian football where most orders are given by the club authorities and the manager merely is a spectator when it comes to team selection or even pursuing the players, was not present in the Bengaluru setup. Ashley Westwood was given a clean slate and funds were made available to go and get his players which he did by getting the Johnson-Osano combination. He ensured that the players were optimum fitness and even had the courage to drop Sunil Chhetri as he did not attend much of the training sessions due to national commitments. This philosophy will indeed be an eye opener for most other clubs who are still stuck in Stone Age. Viper System: For the past three years, BFC have been using STATSports Viper system to monitor their players during training. This has certainly paid off as the Blues have managed considerable success on the field during that time. STATSports provide their Viper system to many of the best teams in world sport including: FC Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Juventus among hundreds more. The system is used by manager Ashley Westwood to monitor his BFC players during training sessions. The Players wear a custom vest with the STATSports Viper Pod located in the back of it between their shoulder blades. The Viper Pod collects all data relating to their performance during each training session. This allows the manager and coaching staff to see how far athletes have run, how much stress each training session is having on a player's body and when they may need to be rested. The system also provides heatmaps and activity charts as well as a session replay function which allows the coaching staff to undertake a tactical analysis following training sessions or matches.