Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, once firm favourites, have degenerated into also-rans in I-League, amplifying all that is wrong with Kolkata football.
Dempo Sports Club annexing the I-League title is no shocker.
Neither is Mahindra United or Churchill Brothers finishing neck-and-neck with the champions. But what is a bolt from the blue is the shoddy display of the Kolkata giants, or better to say, their struggle for existence in the elite division.
Dempo finished on 54 points whereas their nearest Kolkata outfit, Mohun Bagan, barely managed 36 points (fifth place).
Another giant East Bengal slid further, somehow avoiding the blushes of relegation and finishing on the ninth spot with 31 points.
There’s little left unsaid about the unprofessional attitude of the clubs — both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan.
The club managements have never thought of improving the quality of football or the way the game is being governed.
Their practice of falling out with the national federation regarding players’ release for international commitments is something that is taking India two steps backward, rather than a step forward.
Had Sunil Chhetri been contracted with any of the Kolkata clubs, he would have still been cooling his heels in the city eventually squandering the opportunity to play for Kansas City Wizards.
Dempo should be lauded for the attitude they showed towards a deserving footballer.
A thoroughly professional set-up like Pune FC would have been gasping for breath had they been based in Kolkata. Reason? No fan base.
Most Kolkatans are East Bengal, Mohun Bagan or Mohammedan Sporting fan. So teams which create some sort of impression (eg., Eveready, Tollygunge Agragami) fade fast with dearth of money and fan base.
Conversely, with modern outlook and some doses of professionalism, Pune FC have not only finished a creditable third with 42 points after Churchill Brothers (43), but also announced that they are here to stay. On the other hand, Kolkata’s Chirag United (32) were a tad better than East Bengal but had to be content with the eighth spot.
They started with a bang but winded up things with a mere whimper. Chirag, meanwhile, fared pretty well in the
Calcutta Football League, where they were only second to Mohun Bagan.
There is no dearth of talent in Kolkata and its suburbs. Some talented players have avoided the Kolkata trap and have gained in the bargain.
Churchill goalie Arindam Bhattacharya, thought to be the next big thing after Subrata Paul, is a case in point. Being a goalkeeper, if he touches the crore-mark this time, it will be a victory for Bengal footballers, not football in Bengal.
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