Sasthi Duley shares teammate Douglas da Silva’s exuberance after the latter scored the second goal in East Bengal’s thumping 3-0 win over Indian Bank on Wednesday. Picture by Pradip Sanyal

Calcutta: Amid the delirium in the stands, a man was gently making his way through the tunnel towards the dressing room.

Some shook his hands. He was not ecstatic but happy. He was Suley Musah — the East Bengal captain at the start of the season, who has been out with injury for some time.

“This success is bigger than last year’s. Our players had not played so many matches before the start of the League. They were fresh, this lot was quite jaded,” said the Ghanaian.

“Also, this team is better. We didn’t have such a sound strike force last year. Bhaichung Bhutia and Cristiano Junior have added an edge to our attack.”

Musa saluted Mike Okoro for an outstanding campaign. “He was our striker last year. This time, he was used from the deep and he still clicked. If I am to pick one player, it will be Okoro.”

Bhutia rated this triumph as special. He had won the National League in the year of its inception, in 1996-97, with JCT.

“This is a different feeling, since East Bengal is the club with which I started my career. I have grown up with this club, so it’s a different feeling,” said the striker.

Bhutia refused to pick any individual for the success and dedicated the win to the team. He said he hopes to see Cristiano Junior finishing as the highest scorer. “I will be happy for him if he gets there.”

Junior, the Brazilian, has 13 goals, one behind Churchill Brothers’ Yusif Yakubu, who has 14. Bhutia, by the way, is not far off with 12. East Bengal have two more matches to play.

Bhutia revealed the whole team was charged up to seal a win on home turf. “we were all pretty keen to finish it off and tried a bit extra to get the first goal.”

Bhaichung Bhutia exults after opening the account at the Salt Lake Stadium on Wednesday

Bhutia said the schedule is becoming too demanding for the players. “Look we hardly have any time to rest. The League hasn’t got over and we play the AFC Cup in between. After that there is this pre-World Cup match in Japan in June.

“It’s time the IFA and other bodies understand this. They should sort it out and prepare a calendar which allows players a break of two months after a season gets over,” Bhutia said.

There was a touching scene amid celebrations in the stand. A man stood with a portrait of the late Paltu Das — the former East Bengal secretary, who never saw his club winning the National League.