I doubt even a fully fit Cleiton would be effective...his best days are behind him. Not sure about David too...he has some flaws and I am not sure about whether he is ready for the big stage yet
Carles had the budget this year. And not sure why he retained Cleiton. He will for sure score some goals but they could have signed better players for the money he costs them. Even the coaching staff salary is bloated in EB. They should have better coaching and players for the money they are paying this season.
Our players are undoubtedly the worst in the world in terms of Cost:Performance .
You are a reflection of the players you play with. Our players don't want to go out at a higher level and get better. So from U-18 to senior they stagnate. GSS is a classic example, He was very good even if he was a sub at Norway. He came to India and was amazing the first 2 seasons. Eventually, without competition you tend to stagnate. Now with ISL, players are a little bit more fitter than before. But we still do not play enough games against better teams.
Also, in countries like even Kazhakstan & turkmenistan they have a bigger youth pool. Even in second tier asian countries I read somewhere they have a 6% chance of making it professional. India does not have a bigger youth pool and they have a higher chance of making it professional here even if they are mediocre.
Many players like Souvik, Vinit, Rahim and countless players would not get a contract next season in any other country. here inspite of being piss poor, horrible players keep getting massive contracts due to no player availability in the market for Indians.
I really love the way Algerian league grew in the same time span as ISL. They put all youth teams in one location minimized costs, made them play 30 games a season. They gave pathway to all reserve players abroad intentionally and started making money from Transfers and kept the wage bill minimum. They played and acted like a third world country and created more players. Now it is so heartening to see their national team give even top European team a run for their money.
Mohun Bagan SG to face Al-Wakrah, Tractor and Ravshan in AFC Champions League Two Group Stage
Mohun Bagan Super Giant were drawn alongside Al-Wakrah SC (Qatar), Tractor FC (IR Iran) and FC Ravshan (Tajikistan) in Group A of the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Two in the draw conducted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Friday, August 16, 2024.
Mohun Bagan SG qualified for the newly-rebranded second tier men's AFC club competition by virtue of winning the 2023-24 Indian Super League Shield. The Mariners had finished third in the 2023-24 AFC Cup Group Stage and failed to qualify for the knockout stage.
Al-Wakrah SC qualified for the AFC Champions League Two by finishing fourth in the 2023-24 Qatar Stars League. This will be the Qatari side's first appearance in Asia since the 2001-02 Asian Club Championship. Iranian side Tractor FC also qualified with a fourth-placed finish in the 2023-24 Persian Gulf Pro League. They twice reached the Round of 16 of the erstwhile AFC Champions League in 2021 and 2016. FC Ravshan booked their spot in the tournament as the runners-up of the 2023 Tajikistan Higher League. The side from Kulob made four appearances in the AFC Cup but never managed to progress from the group stage.
The AFC Champions League Two features 32 clubs divided into eight groups – four West, four East – of four teams each for the Group Stage, which will be played in a home-and-away round-robin format from September 17 to December 5, 2024.
The top two finishers from each group will advance to the Round of 16, to be played in February 2025. This will be followed by the Quarter-finals in March 2025 and Semi-finals in April 2025, before the tournament culminates in a single-leg Final on May 17, 2025.
East Bengal FC, the other club representing India in the 2024-25 AFC club competitions by virtue of being the 2024 Kalinga Super Cup champions, lost their AFC Champions League Two qualifying round match to FC Altyn Asyr on Wednesday, and will feature in the 2024-25 AFC Challenge League (third-tier) Group Stage, the draw for which will be conducted on August 22.
Comments
Even the coaching staff salary is bloated in EB. They should have better coaching and players for the money they are paying this season.
Also, in countries like even Kazhakstan & turkmenistan they have a bigger youth pool. Even in second tier asian countries I read somewhere they have a 6% chance of making it professional. India does not have a bigger youth pool and they have a higher chance of making it professional here even if they are mediocre.
Many players like Souvik, Vinit, Rahim and countless players would not get a contract next season in any other country. here inspite of being piss poor, horrible players keep getting massive contracts due to no player availability in the market for Indians.
I really love the way Algerian league grew in the same time span as ISL. They put all youth teams in one location minimized costs, made them play 30 games a season. They gave pathway to all reserve players abroad intentionally and started making money from Transfers and kept the wage bill minimum. They played and acted like a third world country and created more players. Now it is so heartening to see their national team give even top European team a run for their money.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant were drawn alongside Al-Wakrah SC (Qatar), Tractor FC (IR Iran) and FC Ravshan (Tajikistan) in Group A of the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Two in the draw conducted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Friday, August 16, 2024.
Mohun Bagan SG qualified for the newly-rebranded second tier men's AFC club competition by virtue of winning the 2023-24 Indian Super League Shield. The Mariners had finished third in the 2023-24 AFC Cup Group Stage and failed to qualify for the knockout stage.
Al-Wakrah SC qualified for the AFC Champions League Two by finishing fourth in the 2023-24 Qatar Stars League. This will be the Qatari side's first appearance in Asia since the 2001-02 Asian Club Championship. Iranian side Tractor FC also qualified with a fourth-placed finish in the 2023-24 Persian Gulf Pro League. They twice reached the Round of 16 of the erstwhile AFC Champions League in 2021 and 2016. FC Ravshan booked their spot in the tournament as the runners-up of the 2023 Tajikistan Higher League. The side from Kulob made four appearances in the AFC Cup but never managed to progress from the group stage.
The AFC Champions League Two features 32 clubs divided into eight groups – four West, four East – of four teams each for the Group Stage, which will be played in a home-and-away round-robin format from September 17 to December 5, 2024.
The top two finishers from each group will advance to the Round of 16, to be played in February 2025. This will be followed by the Quarter-finals in March 2025 and Semi-finals in April 2025, before the tournament culminates in a single-leg Final on May 17, 2025.
East Bengal FC, the other club representing India in the 2024-25 AFC club competitions by virtue of being the 2024 Kalinga Super Cup champions, lost their AFC Champions League Two qualifying round match to FC Altyn Asyr on Wednesday, and will feature in the 2024-25 AFC Challenge League (third-tier) Group Stage, the draw for which will be conducted on August 22.
https://www.the-aiff.com/article/mohun-bagan-sg-to-face-al-wakrah-tractor-and-ravshan-in-afc-champions-league-two-group-stage
https://x.com/mohunbagansg/status/1824754465922224308