East Bengal: Review of the season till now

I always said on my blog last year, I am worried about the stage when Mr. Morgan will leave East Bengal, and this season proved me right. This is most complete squad of East Bengal, but not the right man in the start of season. For me personally, bringing Coach like Flapo was always a danger and it proved right. He got the expectation of East Bengal, who are expected to win every game there fan, and even more so spoilt by Mr. Morgan in last few years. He was never given the time to settle in the Indian football by media, He was always compare to Mr. Morgan, in which he failed but it was not his fault, it is fault of club. I will come to that point later.

Let me first say, The AFC cup performance of East Bengal was the highlight of the season. I think tactical genius of flapo won the Quarterfinal for us, but in semi we were outplayed by the superior club. But I was satisfied by the performance of the team. I hope this year they can get in AFC cup, because now the player is better equipped to play away from home as they are now used to it. I hope they can get better this season.

Getting rid of Flapo was not the smart move, but appointing him at first place was the wrong more for me. If you have seen in last few years, Morgan has developed him team by choosing player for his team, but flapo was never given that chance. I think that led to his downfall. He might be great coach, sometime it doesn’t work out as we want. East Bengal has to be patient with their next coach, because it will take time to get used to team and player. That is why I think it was smart move to appoint Almando, he know Indian football better than anyone, he is just a great coach and also he has won I league, a missing piece from east Bengal jewel from few years. I hope he win it for east Bengal, win against Mohan Began has kicked start the season for east Bengal.

What impressed me about east Bengal in last few season has been how they have handled the transfer window, Inflow and outflow of player. They have maintain the core of squad same for last few years, and also the young player in squad are quite good. They will do better as the season will progress, but one player which impressed me most is Lalrindika Ralte, he has been star in East Bengal. The goal he has scored this season is class apart. I think he is just 21 year old; he is one of brightest start of India not for east Bengal. The core of east Bengal squad remain same, they have just made the squad better. I hope they don’t chop and change next season also.

I am east Bengal fan, but I hate when east Bengal chop and change too much in a season. But being Chelsea fc and EBFC you realize that loosing in that club, means end of word. So the expectation is to win every match.

One step closer to Semi: East Bengal wins

It has been really eventful week for East Bengal fans, first of all there was really disturbing news of Coach and Player not getting along well before the AFC cup match and then the first competitive match of new coach again a team which is already half way of their league, but as it is said, all good if it ends well.  East Bengal wins prove this point, but still job half done, we have to wait for the second leg to see how the things goes well.

I could not watch the match as Star sports has refused to produce this game for live telecast due to economic reason, they say because there is not much interest for this match so we could not do match, I think they should have said the same thing for producing Indian A match for cricket. Second was the low turnout for east Bengal fan, only 5000 does not reflect the stature of this club, this shows how backward Indian football has gone, the passion and support of Kolkata club is not as it was few years back. But let’s not go to negative more and put focus on positive on game.

The east Bengal 1-0 win was very important for moral of the club because this was first match of the season, if you ask me they should have easily scored more Goals, James moga missed few sitters and as team also they were top of their game, which we can understand due to their first game. Most important thing is keeping clean sheet in the Home leg, It is really important, because the side of east Bengal have they will surely score one goal in second leg. Then it will be difficult for the next team to win.

This win also highlight the depth and strength of the bench on the east Bengal side, Sueoka who is indecently not on the good book of the coach came off the bench to score the goal. The option coach has to change the team was great. They still more matched under their belt to be match fill and to be in rhythm that was evident in the performance. Okapa was again reliable in the defense and Mehtab in the midfield. But the biggest waste was Moga, he missed few chance which could have put this tie on to the bed. And I liked the idea of seeing Alvito after such a long time on the field, He is only one who played last time East Bengal had successful in the AFC cupt, Give the credit to coach also to make the changes which made the difference in the game. I hope it is start of new season and new Hope for east Bengal.

This was match for the test of mental strength of east Bengal players, and they passed this test. The bigger test still waits for them in away leg, they need to be less wasteful and the midfield has to be stronger to win the match.

P.S.: Flapo will be happy man after this movement, because he was really under pressure from Kolkata press for last few days. I hope they will not talk of at least Morgan in his next press conference. 

Traver Morgan: The coach we will never forget

I don’t know if he will stay beyond this season for east Bengal fc or not, but I can assure you one thing all of the fan will remember him really fondly once he is gone from the Kolkata. He might stay one more year like last year but still the work he has done in the team is remarkable.

For last 3 years east Bengal have been club who has been in prime form for all the competition, except I league he has almost won every competition available in Indian with east Bengal. The most important part of his coaching was always not winning but also the building the side of east Bengal which he has done successfully. Each year he has added some extra thing to his current crop to improve them further but the key was always to retain the most of the player in the team. They have not spent the big like Mohan Bagan or Prayag united but they are still the main team of Kolkata.

What he did with Mehtab Hussain was the main mark of his coaching; He made him the main focal point of east Bengal. Till then Mehtab was player with potential but lost in world of football, but now he is Indian football team. Again he trusted the young player in east Bengal rather than the stars name and the main core of team was retained every year, Even though when last year Rahim nabi and Nirmal Chettri left the club it didn’t let us down, he found the replacement in the team only and added few more player form other clubs. He might have failed in only place was quality of striker in East Bengal but once you look at team sheet there are five quality striker there Chedi, Robin singh, Mandeep, Baljeet and New aussi striker. They all had their fare share of time on pitch but in that 5, Two robin and baljieet has been in club since last 3 years. It makes you realize that how he changed the policy of East Bengal.

Earlier east Bengal used to change their team every year, the new player always take time to gel and till that time the coach used to change and then again new year same thing goes on. But with Morgan things have been different, now I can identify the players who have played with east Bengal and their best performance. I think if only the club would have not putted more focus on all competition he would have I league last year and this year. His team has already played more than 50 match in this season only and still 10 or 20 more to go depend upon team performance. It has not helped his cause with main player to play all time in the club either local match or the AFC cup match. 

Maybe this year luck turn in his side, still they are only 5 point behind and the Churchill has to play mohan bagan 2 time, they will be looking for some help from their arch rival in this time. What would be a perfect finale to Mr. Morgan and if he goes on in AFC cup beyond group stage then that will be a bonus. Now the question come in my mind is who will replace him to continue his good work done in east Bengal?