Mohun Bagan learning to rock again

NEW DELHI: Mohun Bagan's crucial I-League win over East Bengal on Sunday has put the focus on the new coaching staff which has helped the team turn the tide, especially in the light of the club's disastrous start in the Federation Cup in September under English coach Steve Darby.
After the exit of Darby, Bagan brought back Subrata Bhattacharya as the team's technical director and also roped in their former stars, Prasanta Banerjee (former India captain), Bernard Oparanozie and Hemanta Dora, to guide the ship in the ongoing I-League.
With their self-belief somewhat restored, Bagan's star is on the ascendency and the club is now second to Dempo in the league standings. "I played for Bagan for many years so I understand the sentiment of the club and its supporters. Our first job was to win the confidence of the players and then make them believe that it was only a bad phase," explained Bagan's new coach Banerjee, who is also an AFC instructor and an 'A' license trainer.
Known for his cool and composed demeanor during his heydays as a top-notch midfielder, Banerjee is now determined to use all his experience to lift Bagan who are desperate to regain the I-League title which they last won in 2001-02. "I concentrated on the physical fitness of the players, besides working on the co-ordination between them," Banerjee said on the key areas the thinktank has been working on.
When asked how the four former players will manage the team together, the 53-year-old coach said all four were in sync and it would be a 'collective show'. The team started well in I-League with a 3-1 win against Pailan Arrows but the 5-0 thrashing by Dempo in a third-round match left them in disarray. But the team now is looking ahead after the win over East Bengal. Bagan, who are playing Prayag at home on Wednesday, are looking to keep the momentum going.