Kolkata: Both the Kolkata Giants Mohun Bagan and East Bengal will be the title contenders in the upcoming Hero I-League season 2017-18, feels Bagan captain Sony Norde. The Haitian international who will don the no. 10 jersey for the Mariners in the I-League, replaced the outgoing Katsumi Yusa, as the new captain of the Bagan football team.
“Wearing an arm band is a huge honour for me. I have always tried to play my responsibility on the ground. This season also we will try to win the I League,” said the former Mumbai City FC player.
Sony, who joined the team just a couple of days ago is slowly getting back into match fitness ahead of the all important I-League season. While the Mariners possess some of the best attacking players in Norde, Kromah and Dipanada Dicka, defensive error has been a big problem for the 2014 I-League champions and the Haitian emphasised on the same, “We need to strengthen our defence. We will try not to concede goals.”
The club is set to meet some of it’s former players when they take on Indian Super League franchises FC Goa and FC Pune City in their next two pre-season matches. They have already lost many players to the cash-rich ISL, forcing the club bring in new players for the upcoming season and while it takes some time for the new recruits to understand the club’s philosophy and playing style, coach Sanjoy Sen will hope that star player Norde strikes a chord with the likes of Kromah and Dicka in the beginning of the season, if Bagan is to aim for the league title this season.
“It will be a matter of pride to play alongside Sony (Norde). We hope we can create a lot of chances. The fact that we both speak French will work to our advantage,” said new recruit Dipanda Dicka.
The Bagan winger was also present in the U-17 World Cup final cheering for the ‘Three Lions” and talking about the successful organisation of the World Cup he said, “I was amazed to see the craze amongst the fans. It was a huge success for India to host the U-17 World Cup.”
Meanwhile, Mohun Bagan had a great start to the season. They finished runners-up to East Bengal in the Calcutta Football League losing only in goal difference, while they won the Sikkim Gold Cup to begin their season on a high.