Bhowmick

Calcutta: The day after at East Bengal was still heavy with that sweet smell of victory. The creased foreheads had made way for smiling — smeared with gulal — faces, warm hugs had replaced those taunts and barbs; there were sweets for everyone who came to get the feel, garlands for players and the coach.

The aroma of gulal was too rich to ignore. There was an air of festivity about the East Bengal tent; the club was in a party mood on Monday morning.

And why not? Sunday’s one-way traffic against Mohun Bagan in the I-League is something to be cherished for long. After all, it helped them to break what was “East Bengal’s Salt Lake jinx”.

And the man who masterminded the triumph was unusually calm, even on Monday. “I told the boys to believe in themselves. Rest will fall into place,” Subhas Bhowmick said matter-of-factly at the club tent.

“The boys responded to the challenge very well and the result is there for all to see.”

Bhowmick said that when he took over the reins, even players of Sunil Chetri’s stature were short on confidence.

“I had to constantly tell them that everything was fine. It was only during the second half of the Air India match that I started realising that they are slowly getting back to their usual selves. Then the Vasco match happened. Sunil and (Yusif) Yakubu got goals and from there on we were a different side altogether,” he said.

For the record, the win over Mohun Bagan was their third victory on the trot. And the die-hard fans are already dreaming that Bhowmick will be able to keep his promise. His promise of 28 points from the second-leg. “I want to reach the 40-point target (East Bengal had 12 points from the first leg) and then let’s see what happens,” he said.

Bhowmick, however, refused to believe that Bagan’s title dreams were as good as over. In fact, he was very respectful of his rivals: “They are very much in the hunt. They just need a win to silence their critics.”

His man for all seasons (read positions) Syed Rahim Nabi, meanwhile, had a busy day.

Whether smilingly obliging the media for some ‘exclusive’ bytes or signing autographs or posing for fans who wanted to freeze the moment with the star in their mobile phones, Nabi was enjoying every bit of it. “A great win. Never felt so good,” he said.

Nabi, who has played in all positions except under the bar, said that the flanks were his favourite.

“I am comfortable on both the flanks,” he said. And what makes his coach so special? “You can trust him. Unlike some other coaches, he doesn’t go to the media criticising his own team.”

Defender Mehrajuddin Wadoo, who along with M. Suresh, had a memorable match, hoped they wouldn’t be ridiculed post Sunday. “Too many things were said against us. They doubted our commitment. I think we have silenced them for the time being.”

Meanwhile, Bagan may lodge a complaint with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) against referee Dinesh Nair for what they think was an unfair yellow card to Bhaichung Bhutia.