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As the much discussed Kolkata Premier League is all about to get nourished with new form and format, one of the Kolkata Giants Mohun Bagan is all set to put their effort in the coming 2007-2008 football season. This year the Mohun Bagan officials set themselves with fit and young recruits while retaining the nucleus of the previous squad. While five of the previous squad decided to change their color, the current squad seems to be compensated with the inclusion of players like Venkatesh, Manju, Rauf Khan, Peter Siddiqui, James Sing from Mahindra United while defense line looks much more composed with Habibur Rahaman Mondal and Subhasish Roy Chowdhury from Mohammedan Sporting. One shouldn’t forget the man from HAL, N.Mohan Raj another guy who is going to put his studs first time in kolkata Moidan.
Mohun Bagan recruiters started with a cautious note keeping the out put of past in their mind. Being able to make a star lodged team they couldn’t live up to the task last season. May be it was due to some other factors which may have escaped from their consideration, this year they stared to focus on some effective out come. They have been more keen on relying fresh legs rather on so called stars.
The goalkeeper’s position will be shared by experienced Sangram Mukherjee with young promising Shilton Pal and Imran Khan. Sangram Mukherjee was at his best during the last Federation Cup when he saved Mariners in three consecutive penalty shootouts. Shilton Pal in his second successive season for green and maroon brigade will has to escort with Imran Khan. Thay have also a new recruit in this position namely Pralay Dutta from Chirag United. Bagan officials appointed Hemanta Dora as their goal keeper coach to stabilize this position.
Bagan defense looks much more composed with Deepak Mondal, Sanjeev Maria, N.S. Manju, Habibur Rahaman Mondal. But it will be of great challenge for others to withstand themselves especially during national camp when few of crewmembers will be busy in international circuit.
In midfield, all eyes will be hovered around Dharamjeet, Venkatesh, Lalkamal Bhowmick. James Sing returned to his old club after five years and it will be of enormous thrust for the opponents if he can perform the same for what mariners used to see few years back. Few young guys can be seen this time mainly Lalawmzuala, Rahul Kumar, Parminder Singh, Rahul Bhattacharyya for Customs. One can’t make any prediction how well this newcomers will suit themselves in Kolkata Moidan. Much more relies on the side bench and players like Suman Dutta, Chinmoy Srakar, Tapan Maity, Jamir Ali Mondal, the first two retained their color while last two had changed it from Port Trust and Mohammedan Sporting respectively.
The forward line seems to remain unchanged with Jose Ramirez Barreto and Bhaichung Bhutia and likely to trigger the bullets of opportunity created by the midfield. Young Lalwanpuia and Ayan Chawdhury will be in action with Barreto in absence of Bhaichung.
One big factor, which is still remaining unexplored, is the foreigners. Only one place is fixed and that is Barreto. The total balance of any team can be shifted with inclusion of two quality foreign recruits. The Bagan officials are eying on quality foreigners. May be they would go for a player who had already played in India rather than some one totally inexperienced under such circumstances.
For coaching stuff, their newly appointed Brazilian Carlos Perreira along with assistant Satyajit Chatterjee is more keen on the fitness level and rightly so is all about to start their residential pre-season conditioning camp in Durgapur. Whatever the past results, Mohun Bagan fans are waiting eagerly to see their favorite team on the field and their excitement was quite evident when they showed worm welcome to Carlos Pereira at his very first practice session.
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