Mohun Bagan coach warns his players from getting complacent
Sabyasachi Bagchi, Siliguri: Mohun Bagan Coach Sanjoy Sen feel the win in the Kolkata derby will mean nothing if his side fail to win the I League. Talking to the reporters at the post match conference here, a visibly relaxed Bagan coach said, “No, we are not champions yet. The I-League will not be decided by this result alone. We just are in a better position than we were. Last year’s experience tells me that we had lost points in the hills (Shillong Lajong). We were in a favourable position then and then we dropped points in the hills and now we are going back there. We have broken the myth that Mohun Bagan cannot win in Siliguri. I have come here to win the I-League and that is my first priority. To win the league you have to play till the last match. If we can’t win the league, then the derby victory will mean nothing.
Commenting about the derby win, the gaffer said, “East Bengal was outplayed in every department of the game. We could have easily fulfilled each Bagan fan’s longstanding wish to overturn the 5-0 loss of 1975 if Duffy had converted and others followed suit. In recent times, East Bengal have been good oppositions in the last few derbies and given a good fight. But, today, they were nowhere.”
The win took Mohun Bagan to 29 points from 14 matches and a victory each in their remaining 4 matches will hand Bagan their second Hero I-League title in three years. Kingfisher East Bengal, meanwhile, stayed on 27 points from 15 matches. Aizawl FC is on 30 points after their loss against Bengaluru FC today. On being asked whether it is proving to be a two way race, the gaffer said, “No, the title is not a two horse race. Cannot say that East Bengal are in the title race because mathematically it is still possible. They can win their three games. The league can be won with 34-35 points. There is an outside chance.”
The Mariners will next travel to Shillong to take on Lajong. On being asked to comment about his side’s next opponents in I League, Sanjoy Sen said, “Lajong is a good side. They have a good record in away games, better than us at least. Now, we have to replicate them and get points in away games against them in the two away games we go to play now.”
The Bagan coach was extremely pleased to see his U’22 footballer Azharuddin Mullick score in tonight’s derby. It has been a while that a local boy has scored in the derby.
“I thank almighty God that Azhar scored tonight. I always wish that he scores whenever he plays. I do not know after how long a Bengali boy has scored in a Kolkata Derby but he has made Bengal proud,” said Sen about Azhar.
The gaffer also heaped praises on Sony Norde. Asked to comment on Norde’s goal from free-kick, Sen said, “The goal from Sony Norde was very much needed. If you do not score in a derby you haven’t made it in Kolkata football. He made up for that it was lacking in his repertoire – a goal in the derby.”
Lastly, the Mariners have broken the jinx of not winning a derby outside Kolkata for last 16 years.
“Of course, the myth has been broken like in my coaching career I have never won at Mumbai FC and likewise it was for Siliguri. The performance was needed to break the myth. Credit goes to all the players for this,” signed off satisfied looking Sanjoy Sen.