Alejandro Menendez, the East Bengal coach, gave an interview to Dulal De, journalist of the Bengali daily, Sangbad Pratidin. Excerpts from the interview:
Question: In the Super Cup, there are ISL clubs besides teams from the I-League Answer: That is why I have gone to YBK to watch a number of ISL matches. Of course, all of these games have been ATK matches.
Question: What do you think, where is the standard of football better, I-League or ISL? Answer: Of course ISL. I am not saying that the I-league is bad. but the standard of play in ISL is better than that of the I-League. Because, a number of good players are playing in the ISL. There are a number of talented footballers there.
Question: Whom do you consider your main opponent in the Super Cup? Answer: Mumbai City FC
Question: Not Bengaluru FC? Answer: I could not watch their games on the field. Whatever I have seen of then, it was only on TV. It is not possible to fully analyse an opponent by watching them on television.
Question: You say that the standard of play is better in ISL, then how do you expect to face the ISL teams with this team? Answer: I am trying to change some footballers before the Super Cup.
Question: Foreigners or Indians? Answer: It would be good if some changes could be rung in in both cases. The problems with foreign players is, from what I hear from the management, the rule of the Indian federation stipulates that if we try to bring in someone new, he should either be a free footballer or he should have played in India. Let's see what happens. I am having discussions with the management.
Question: If you have to bring in new footballers, have you decided on the footballers you want to leave out of the team? Answer: Look, it would not be sensible to say this now. It is very difficult to find good free foreign players. Let me find the substitutes first. Then we can think about the footballers we want to release. ............................................................................................................................................................................................
Question: In the I-League, which among the opponent teams did you like the most? Answer: Indian Arrows. Not because they are a junior team. Their style, agility has impressed me. Maybe they have lost some matches, made a few mistakes. But I think they have made some mistakes due to inexperience. If these players are nursed properly, this team has footballers who can become huge talents.
Alejandro also said that some of the footballers of other teams in the I-league have impressed him; he has given the names of these Indian footballers to the QEB management.
What a idiots.. Says I league standard is poor, can't even win poor standard I league what will he win in better standard ISL, hope he is knocked out on first round in super cup and gets sacked.
I keep on hearing 400 cr! And those who say so, is not even aware of the exact amount and most importantly its for a 10 yr period. So it would be to the tune of 35-40 cr/year - which is the budget of most top rung ISL clubs. So what is the farce of 400 cr all about!?
Am a born Bagan fan, but to my EB friends here i was mighty pleased with the way Alejandro changed the team completely in only about 5-6 months. am not too sure, whether any foreign coach has done it in the past in India.
This guy is a no nonsense character; possibly obsessed with his job/love for the game, b'cos if it wasn't the case, he would not have produced such a result. I have never seen him cribbing(excepting in the fag end when EB had to play 3 away games with very little recovery time - yet he went to win all three), got the process correct; also the fitness level had shown remarkable improvement in EB team. This team did not have any major injury scare even towards the end. Most importantly its never easy to coach in Kolkata, with the Guardiolas', Fergussons', Wengers' givibg big lecture on bengali media. He had so much of self belief that even after 3 losses, he could turn it around which in the past no coach in Kolkata could come out of that setback.
All this has happened b'cos i think Issac and Quess has given complete freedom to him and I dont think Issac was even looking at winning the I-League as I feel his eyes is set for bigger gains(may be in the lines of AFC/ACL); this would have NEVER happened if there was even 1% intervention of EB officials.If u see EB players hardly visit the club, or practice in the club ground; coach is extremely reluctant to play there...so this is one area I feel EB is losing its identity. Sure, the supporters would say its EB, its the Red n Gold but somehow am not too sure, how important this is to Issac. Sure he keeps on talking about the supporter base(which he would actually use for his business gains), but he is playing is very shrewdly and in a planned manner to completely overhaul/uproot the core almost.
In the Corporate world we have seen these things umpteenth times, that big cos., to get a foothold in India go for strategic tie-up and as they start increasing their footprints either they buy out the Indian arm/co. or they part ways(Coke-Parle, Godrej-P&G, Nokia-HCL, USL-Diageo and there are many). With Quess having almost 80% stake, there is not much say of the officials in the functioning of the club. I think, the same is goin to happen with Bagan wherein the officials would be reduced to mere spectators and professionals backed by Corporate Structure with eyes on topline/bottomline would be calling the shots. Thats how its is the world over and since it is already delayed, the earlier the better.Whether it is Quess-EB or MohunBagan-ATK should not be much of a concern to us(i dont think it would be ATK, but RPG/CESC is a possibility), b'cos am not too sure why/what would Goenka associate ATK brand with - since its not a brand per say till now.
Comments
Question: In the Super Cup, there are ISL clubs besides teams from the I-League
Answer: That is why I have gone to YBK to watch a number of ISL matches. Of course, all of these games have been ATK matches.
Question: What do you think, where is the standard of football better, I-League or ISL?
Answer: Of course ISL. I am not saying that the I-league is bad. but the standard of play in ISL is better than that of the I-League. Because, a number of good players are playing in the ISL. There are a number of talented footballers there.
Question: Whom do you consider your main opponent in the Super Cup?
Answer: Mumbai City FC
Question: Not Bengaluru FC?
Answer: I could not watch their games on the field. Whatever I have seen of then, it was only on TV. It is not possible to fully analyse an opponent by watching them on television.
Question: You say that the standard of play is better in ISL, then how do you expect to face the ISL teams with this team?
Answer: I am trying to change some footballers before the Super Cup.
Question: Foreigners or Indians?
Answer: It would be good if some changes could be rung in in both cases. The problems with foreign players is, from what I hear from the management, the rule of the Indian federation stipulates that if we try to bring in someone new, he should either be a free footballer or he should have played in India. Let's see what happens. I am having discussions with the management.
Question: If you have to bring in new footballers, have you decided on the footballers you want to leave out of the team?
Answer: Look, it would not be sensible to say this now. It is very difficult to find good free foreign players. Let me find the substitutes first. Then we can think about the footballers we want to release.
............................................................................................................................................................................................
Question: In the I-League, which among the opponent teams did you like the most?
Answer: Indian Arrows. Not because they are a junior team. Their style, agility has impressed me. Maybe they have lost some matches, made a few mistakes. But I think they have made some mistakes due to inexperience. If these players are nursed properly, this team has footballers who can become huge talents.
Alejandro also said that some of the footballers of other teams in the I-league have impressed him; he has given the names of these Indian footballers to the QEB management.
https://epaper.sangbadpratidin.in/epaper/m/338048/5c85bc42e2b5d
https://twitter.com/QEBNA?lang=en
Am a born Bagan fan, but to my EB friends here i was mighty pleased with the way Alejandro changed the team completely in only about 5-6 months. am not too sure, whether any foreign coach has done it in the past in India.
This guy is a no nonsense character; possibly obsessed with his job/love for the game, b'cos if it wasn't the case, he would not have produced such a result. I have never seen him cribbing(excepting in the fag end when EB had to play 3 away games with very little recovery time - yet he went to win all three), got the process correct; also the fitness level had shown remarkable improvement in EB team. This team did not have any major injury scare even towards the end. Most importantly its never easy to coach in Kolkata, with the Guardiolas', Fergussons', Wengers' givibg big lecture on bengali media. He had so much of self belief that even after 3 losses, he could turn it around which in the past no coach in Kolkata could come out of that setback.
All this has happened b'cos i think Issac and Quess has given complete freedom to him and I dont think Issac was even looking at winning the I-League as I feel his eyes is set for bigger gains(may be in the lines of AFC/ACL); this would have NEVER happened if there was even 1% intervention of EB officials.If u see EB players hardly visit the club, or practice in the club ground; coach is extremely reluctant to play there...so this is one area I feel EB is losing its identity. Sure, the supporters would say its EB, its the Red n Gold but somehow am not too sure, how important this is to Issac. Sure he keeps on talking about the supporter base(which he would actually use for his business gains), but he is playing is very shrewdly and in a planned manner to completely overhaul/uproot the core almost.
In the Corporate world we have seen these things umpteenth times, that big cos., to get a foothold in India go for strategic tie-up and as they start increasing their footprints either they buy out the Indian arm/co. or they part ways(Coke-Parle, Godrej-P&G, Nokia-HCL, USL-Diageo and there are many). With Quess having almost 80% stake, there is not much say of the officials in the functioning of the club. I think, the same is goin to happen with Bagan wherein the officials would be reduced to mere spectators and professionals backed by Corporate Structure with eyes on topline/bottomline would be calling the shots. Thats how its is the world over and since it is already delayed, the earlier the better.Whether it is Quess-EB or MohunBagan-ATK should not be much of a concern to us(i dont think it would be ATK, but RPG/CESC is a possibility), b'cos am not too sure why/what would Goenka associate ATK brand with - since its not a brand per say till now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=43&v=6liBRbc2wqs
Thinking of learning Spanish. Cannot follow Mario's halting and heavily accented English at times
How does it feel to be an East Bengal fan?