Bhaichung Bhutia and Deepak Mondal after withdrawing in favour of Mohun Bagan on Monday. A Telegraph picture

Calcutta: Brazilian Carlos Roberto Pereira, who coached East Bengal last season, has switched camp to Mohun Bagan for 2007-08.

The 61-year-old, who was held accountable for East Bengal’s lacklustre performance last season, has been roped in by the green-and-maroon brigade for his “sheer experience and technical knowledge”, Mohun Bagan president Swapan Sadhan Bose said during a press conference on Monday.

“He is contracted for the forthcoming season. Being a professional coach, he can handle the team well. Besides, Pereira’s involvement during a match and rapport with players made him the ultimate choice,” Bose said.

In another major development, senior pro Bhaichung Bhutia has been made the captain of the side. The Indian captain, incidentally, had not led any club till the last season despite representing various outfits for last 15 years. S. Dharamjit Singh was made Bhutia’s deputy.

In a bid to boost the ‘coaching team’, Satyajit Chatterjee, a former Mohun Bagan mid-fielder, was named the assistant coach. Poaching another from the red-and-gold brigade, Mohun Bagan made Hemanta Dora their goalkeeping coach.

The 30-member squad also includes Mahindra United’s N.S. Manju, Peter Siddiqui, Rauf Khan, Lukram James Singh and S. Venkatesh. Four Mohammedan Sporting players, Subhasish Roychowdhury, Habibur Rahman Mondal, Jamir Ali Mondal and Sudheesh Muttath have been also been named in the club’s roster for the next season.

The forward line will see the inclusion of Ishfaq Ahmed of Dempo to the line-up of Bhutia, Jose Ramirez Barreto, P.C. Lalawmpuia and Ayan Chowdhury. Among other recruits, the city giants named Pralay Dutta of United SC, N. Mohan Raj (HASC), Rahul Bhattacharjee (Customs), Parminder Singh (JCT) and Tapan Maity (Calcutta Port Trust).

THE SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Imran Khan, Sangram Mukherjee, Shilton Paul, Pralay Dutta

Defenders: Sanjeev Maria, Deepak Kumar Mondal, Bijoy Basfore, N.S. Manju, Peter Siddiqui, Rauf Khan, Subhasish Roychowdhury, Habibur Rahman Mondal, N. Mohan Raj, Rahul Bhattacharjee

Mid-fielders: S. Dharamjit Singh (vice-captain), Lalkamal Bhowmick, Suman Dutta, Chinmoy Sarkar, Rahul Kumar, Lukram James Singh, S. Venkatesh, Jamir Ail Mondal, Sudheesh Muttath, Parminder Singh, Tapan Maity

Forwards: Bhaichung Bhutia (Captain), Jose Ramirez Barreto, P.C. Lalawmpuia, Ayan Chowdhury, Ishfaq Ahmed

Coaching team: Carlos Roberto Pereira (chief coach), Satyajit Chatterjee (assistant coach), Hemanta Dora (goalkeeping coach).