Kolkata: Not many coaches would have a left a club, they had just led to title glory but I-League winning coach Khalid Jamil’s urge to do something for East Bengal drew him to the Kolkata giants and the former Mumbai City FC man has one goal on mind. “The goal is simple,” he says, “that is to win the Hero I-League.”
“I like new challenges in life. I wanted to do something for Kingfisher East Bengal and hence I’m here,” added the Red and Gold Brigade gaffer.
Interestingly it will be Aizawl FC, a team he led to title glory last season that East Bengal will have to cross, when the two face off in their first match at the at Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Things have however changed since last season, with as many as four players from Aizwal’s title winning team moving to the other side. Lalramchullova, Laldanmawia Ralte, Brandon Vanlalremdika and Mahmoud Al Amna will all line up against their former team alongside Jamil come Tuesday and calling it a new challenge the 40-year-old said, “It is a big challenge. We need a positive start. We are going to play with a good team. Won’t be an easy match. I have got accustomed to East Bengal. It’s been a long time since I have left Aizawl. Even playing at the ground (Salt Lake Stadium) will be a challenge.”
It will however not be an easy task to manage a side that has failed to win a single league title in the last 14 years. But for a man who has been there and done it ‘past is past.’ “It is a big challenge for us and we have to accept it with open arms,” he added.
Most of Aizwal’s players from last season have however left the club, in search for greener pastures, leaving new coach Paulo Menezes with an enormous task of repeating last season’s magic with a entirely new team. Nonetheless, the Portugese has been with the team since August and with the likes of former Minerva Punjab defender Kareem Omolaja, Masih Saighani, Andrei Ionescu, Yugo Kobayashi and Leonce Dodoz in addition to Alfred Jaryan who was with the team even in the previous seasons, the defending champions have already build an formidable foreign contingent.
“It’s a very good challenge facing East Bengal in the first game. All the teams want to beat the champions. We are ready to compete”, the Portuguese said. Before adding, “We are still a small team compared to the likes of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan even though we are champions.”
The away side will however miss two of East Bengal’s former stars Shylo Malsawmtluanga and David Lalrinmuana, both of whom are injured for this game as well as Liandala Sena, Andrei Ionescu and Jonathan Lalrawngbawl, all of whom are nursing injuries.
Captain for the game Alfred Jaryan who played under Jamil is aware of the threat he possess from outside the field and awed by the stature of his opposition’s past glory he said, “East Bengal are the big guns in Indian football. Khalid Jamil is mighty experienced and has been on the circuit for many years. He knows how to get the best of all players. He will be a huge factor.”