Biswajit’s exit from the Bagan hot seat has stunned the other coaches

New Delhi: Consecutive heavy defeats suffered by Mohun Bagan in the ongoing National Football League (NFL) have not only saddened their fans, but even other clubs who work overtime to match the might of the Calcutta team’s star-studded line-up.

To them, there is nothing that ails the green and maroon brigade except its vacillating bunch of officials, who habitually make the coach a scapegoat after every loss.

One such person is former national coach Sukhwinder Singh, whose team JCT have recently mauled Mohun Bagan 2-0 in Ludhiana.

The celebrated coach, who won every major trophy for the Punjab side in his 15-year coaching career, vowed that JCT were good enough for at least two more goals but added that Bhaichung Bhutia’s Mohun Bagan can still make a comeback.

“It was sad to find the country’s best side on paper struggling,” said the veteran coach.

“It may be not within my brief to comment on another team, but perhaps it needs a better management. I am still at loss to find out what was the exact reason for showing Biswajit Bhattacharya the door when he steered Bagan out of trouble last season. To allow players to dictate terms could be dangerous.”

The apparent lack of planning on the part of Mohun Bagan management is the reason behind this steady decline of fortune, felt Mahindra United coach Derek Pereira, who routed Bagan 4-1 only on Sunday.

“I don’t want to say much because I may be wrongly interpreted, but you need to get modern day coaching to survive in the world of professional football.”

Derek said he was impressed by the fitness of Mohun Bagan players in the Federation Cup after they won three back to back matches.

“All three matches lasted more than two hours, yet they pulled it through. But fitness is not the only thing that you need to win a football match. I don’t know why Biswajit was dropped after doing a decent job with the team.”

Dempo coach Armando Colaco, who has the distinction of winning both NFL and the Federation Cup in one season like Pereira, was even more forthcoming.

“Do Mohun Bagan officials believe that their team can win every match' Winning and losing is the part of the game. I was shocked to learn that Bhattacharya has left under pressure after losing against us in Durand Cup. The team which doesn’t allow its coach to settle down is bound to pay for that.”

Sporting Clube de Goa coach Clifford Chukuwama, who has been guiding his club to the final of almost every major tournament in the past two seasons, is confident that Mohun Bagan have the best team in the country without a planner.

“Look at the team, there can’t be any better. But it’s not advisable to change the coach so often. That’s exactly has happened with them.”