Kolkata: Mohun Bagan will aim to get back to winning ways when they take on debutants Neroca FC at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday. Ravaged by injury scars the Mariners have lost quite a few stars early in the season but coach Sanjoy Sen remained hopeful of the team performing well against Neroca.
“It is a part and parcel of the modern game. Unfortunately this season the injuries are a bit more but we have to make results from what we have, said the Mariners head coach at the pre-match conference.
Star forwards Sony Norde and Ansumana Kromah both of whom were left out of the 1-1 draw against Lajong and still have niggles, while defender Kingsley Eze Obumneme has been suspended after receiving a red card in the previous fixture. Arijit Bagui and Azharuddin Mallick still remain doubtful and so is Yuta Kinowaki who performed exceedingly well in the Kolkata derby, the only match match he has played this season.
Coach Sanjoy however refused to ‘cry over split milk,’ instead asking his boys to learn from past mistakes. “It is not that we haven’t scored goals in the game against Minerva and Lajong – the two games we dropped points in. We conceded after scoring the first goal and it is imperative that we don’t drop points in our home game,” said the former Untied SC gaffer.
Mohun Bagan although unbeaten after five games into the league have failed to win against Minerva Punjab and Shillong Lajong, dropping points that could prove vital in the long run. Sen nonetheless believes that the title race is still far from being over.
“For the last three years I have been harping over the lack of consistency and seldom has it been that Mohun Bagan have won three games back-to-back. If you look at it, right now we are kind of in a similar position in terms of points compared to out title-winning season,” he added.
The 56-year-old I-League winning coach is full of praise for the debutants Neroca who he feels have an organised outfit and an aspiring coach in Gift Raikhan.
“They are a good side with five good foreigners. They have Subash Singh and Saran Singh who were once part of our team. Even Govin Singh has played for India and Felix Chidi already has two goals to his name,” he said talking of Neroca. Before adding, “Gift and I have a good relation. He is a young and enterprising coach and they are an organised outfit.”
The first team from Manipur to participate in the I-League, Neroca have already defeated the likes of Gokulam and Chennai City. Two points behind the Mariners with a game at hand, Gift Raikhan’s boys are blooming with sky-high confidence. The coach however is aware of the threat the Kolkata giants possess.
“It will be good for the people of Manipur if Neroca beat a big club like Mohun Bagan. But beating Mohun Bagan is not easy at all and everyone knows that,” he said.
“We cannot predict. They are not about one or two important foreigners. Mohun Bagan is Mohun Bagan. The club’s name is there and they will play for the club’s name. It is not going to be easy. Despite their injuries and suspension, they will still be strong,” added the former Churchill Brothers player.
He is nonetheless confident of his team carrying forward the winning momentum. “We won our last two games after losing our first one and the boys are now highly motivated and they want to show that they can play that football of a higher standard. We will stick to our plan and give our hundred percent,” concluded Raikhan.