HT Kick Off: Mohammedan Sporting’s tilt at I-League glory (UPDATED)

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Friday, 22 March 2024

By Dhiman Sarkar

Mohammedan Sporting’s tilt at I-League glory

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(Source: Mohammedan Sporting Club’s X Account)

Dipendu Biswas has done the numbers. Mohammedan Sporting need seven points from the available 12 to win their first I-League, he said over the phone from Srinagar on Wednesday night.

Reaching a city three nights before a match is one of the reasons why Mohammedan Sporting are in pole position in a competition winning which would pave the way to play in the Indian Super League (ISL) in 2024-25. Getting Russian coach Andrey Chernyshov back and keeping the faith in a group of new players, some of whom were signed by Chernyshov’s predecessor Mehrajuddin Wadoo, are the others.

“You need to get used to the cold,” said Biswas, the club’s football secretary, explaining why they had flown in early. From being a cadet at the Tata Football Academy through a long career at Kolkata’s Big Three and for India, Biswas has been part of the Mohammedan Sporting management that has won a hattrick of Kolkata league titles, played a Durand Cup final and narrowly missed winning the I-League in 2021-22.

Mohammedan Sporting coach Andrey Chernyshov (right) with India head coach Igor Stimac. (Source: Mohammedan Sporting Club)

Our squad costs less than what it did last season, he said. “We focused on young players, some of whom were also signed by Mehraj (Biwas and Wadoo have played together for Mohun Bagan). Almost all Indian players in the I-League squad are those who did well in the Kolkata league.”

The new ones

David Lalhlansanga was the top scorer in the Kolkata league and has five goals and two assists in I-League. (Source: Mohammedan Sporting Club)

Prominent among them are 22-year-old David Lalhlansanga who top-scored in the Kolkata league with 21 goals and has five goals and two assists in the I-League. “We signed him after seeing him score against East Bengal in the Super Cup last season,” said Biswas. Wide midfielder Beneston Barretto, forward Bikash Singh, centre-back Mohammed Irshad, defensive midfielder Wahengbam Angousana are some of the new players who have powered the black-and-white brigade this term.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) rule to bar foreign players in state/city leagues has helped, said Biswas. “If we can keep this up for a few years, I am sure we will find good players in key positions like centre-forward, central midfield, and centre-back,” he told the-aiff.com.

Honduran striker Eddie Hernandez has been another useful addition. He has scored 13 goals and is third in the race for the golden boot behind Alejandro Sanchez (Gokulam Kerala) and Richardson Denzell (Rajasthan United). Hernandez’s brace against NEROCA in the last round on Sunday fetched Mohammedan Sporting their fourth successive win going to Real Kashmir. They are also the only side Mohammedan Sporting have lost to this term; the 0-3 defeat coming at home on February 4.

Honduran striker Eddie Hernandez has 13 goals in I-League this term. (Source: Mohammedan Sporting Club)

Consistency the key

Fourteen wins, five draws and a solitary loss is the kind of consistency that wins a league. Included in that are 3-2 wins away to Gokulam Kerala and at home against Churchill Brothers, former champions both, and a 1-1 draw against Sreenidi Deccan where Mohammedan Sporting were trailing till the 84th minute.

“Credit to the coach and players,” sounded like a cliché from Biswas but sometimes clichés say it best. Chernyshov and Mohammedan Sporting seem a match made in footballing heaven. The Russian didn’t last long at the Serbian club he had joined after Mohammedan Sporting, known for being notoriously impatient with coaches, removed him in 2022-23.

Return of Chernyshov

Kibu Vicuna, who had helmed Mohun Bagan to the I-League in some style in 2019-20, was tried and then Wadoo who helped Mohammedan Sporting avoid the drop to I-League 2 last season. Last August, Wadoo was removed and Chernyshov brought back. “All of Mohammedan Sporting’s recent success have come under him. He has seen football in India and has got better,” said Biswas.

A former centre-back Chernyshov, 56, has played for Dynamo Moscow and Sturm Graz, represented Russia thrice and the former Soviet Union 18 times. He has coached Russia’s U21 and been the senior team’s assistant. On his watch, Mohammedan Sporting have taken in their stride a fixtures pile-up and long-haul travel I-League entails. Lalhlansanga’s winner against Gokulam Kerala came in 90+7 minutes with a cheeky chip. “Once you start running, you never stop,” Chernyshov said after the win against Churchill Brothers.

Barely had the first wave of Covid-19 receded, Mohammedan Sporting called the media and, observing all physical distancing rules, announced the arrival of a new investor. With 51% of the shares of the football team with them, investors Bunkerhill and Biswas had then spoken of wanting to play in ISL. No one was sure how because there was no clear pathway then.

Should Mohammedan Sporting make ISL next term --- fulfilling licensing requirements will not be a problem, said Biswas --- it will give the young league the heft of a third club that is over 100 years old. “Senior to FIFA,” Sepp Blatter had exclaimed in 2007 on seeing that the club was founded in 1891.

2023-24 is when the Super Cup is at East Bengal and the Durand Cup is with Mohun Bagan who can add ISL title and the league shield. Mohammedan Sporting’s triumph will restore the pride and glory to Kolkata football. If only for one term.

PLAY OF THE WEEK

(Click to expand)

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HT Kick Off: Mohammedan Sporting’s tilt at I-League glory (UPDATED)

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