The evening is the darkest earlier than daybreak and the East Bengal followers have learnt it the exhausting means. The Indian Super League membership completed on the backside of the league within the 2021-22 season and been within the backside three in each season since 2020.
Mohun Bagan, its archrival, however, has received the Indian Super League title and each Kolkata derby since 2019 till the final season. Manchester United vibes? Pretty a lot.
But the 2023-24 season has seen a sea change because the membership has introduced in a recent batch of gamers and an ISL-winning coach in Carles Cuadrat.
At first look, Cuadrat seems to be only a vacationer within the City of Joy — a black shirt, a tall body, damaged English and a love for ‘India and its culture’. But when he speaks, it’s largely about soccer and footballers.
“I really know a lot of players and coaches. I know the story behind it and I’m ready to see the evolution of all of that,” he had mentioned earlier than his return to India. Being on the helm at East Bengal now, Cuadrat appears to be doing simply that, including brick by brick to take the membership again to its glory days.
The Red and Gold Brigade defeated Mohun Bagan Super Giant within the first Kolkata derby underneath his cost, certified for the Durand Cup knockouts because the group-topper and reached the Durand Cup last after 19 years.
The banners within the stands of the Kanteerava Stadium as soon as used to learn: “Lead us, Carles.” The prodigal son of Spain has now returned to just do that with a brand new outfit.
Cuadrat, a La Masia product, comes from the identical faculty of soccer as Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez and Lionel Messi. He has additionally labored with the supervisor who gave Messi his senior debut, Frank Rijkaard, in his preliminary days of teaching.
But he peaked in tandem with fellow Spaniard Albert Roca, the 2 successful the Federation Cup and main the aspect to the ISL and AFC Cup last — the primary membership to take action. Though Roca left, Cuadrat, now as head coach, took the Blues to larger heights, successful their maiden ISL title — their just one to this point.
Bengaluru FC gamers have a good time with Carles Cuadrat after successful the ISL title.
| Photo Credit:
Focus Sports/ISL
India’s centre-back Rahul Bheke, who was one in every of Cuadrat’s custodians on the again for Bengaluru FC, spoke about his impression off the sector.
“He (Cuadrat) is a tactically sound coach. Whenever a team plays against him, he works a lot on the tactical side of it and on set-pieces. He is a specialist in set-pieces. He knows when, where and how set-pieces should be planned and where goals can be scored through them,” he mentioned.
“He makes a team’s defence very strong. When I played under him, we kept around 11 clean sheets and also maintained an unbeaten run. He insists a lot on not conceding a goal and in maintaining possession.”
At East Bengal, too, the Spaniard has caught to his method — making a staff that’s menacing in set-pieces. In the eight objectives scored by East Bengal (one other one was dominated off-side), six of them have come via set-pieces.
“Scouting is very important. A club with a long history needs to be very good at scouting and to be really good at data. I think that it’s the future of football”
Cuadrat has overseen the expansion of a number of younger Indian gamers whereas his switch technique has seen Bengaluru grow to be a title-winning aspect.
In his five-year keep at Bengaluru, initially as an assistant coach after which as head coach, Cuadrat welcomed gamers comparable to Xisco Hernandez, Juanan and Miku — all of whom proved to be instrumental within the staff changing into the ISL champion, whereas the final two additionally received the Super Cup.
Some of the younger gamers he mentored as head coach — Suresh Singh, Ashique Kuruniyan and Prabhsukhan Gill — have grow to be very profitable gamers for India.
“Scouting is very important. A club with a long history needs to be very good at scouting and to be really good at data. I think that it’s the future of football,” Cuadrat had mentioned throughout an interview.
“All the teams need to be working for the future in that way and try to get players in at the right moment. It’s always about who is the quickest to sign the new talent.”
East Bengal, too, has utilised his eager eye to select gamers judiciously. The staff has made 15 new signings (mortgage and everlasting transfers) and the nucleus of the aspect has been constructed round them.
Jordan Elsey and Javier Siverio have been the same old suspects in and across the field for set-pieces whereas Saul Crespo has been the midfield architect along with his lengthy and thru balls. It was his via ball that was completed expertly by Nandhakumar Sekar as East Bengal received the bragging rights within the Kolkata derby within the group stage.
Cuadrat has reunited with Gill because the goalkeeper whereas Nandha, one other new signing, and Naorem Mahesh Singh have been handed the duty of attacking via the flanks.
The signing of veterans as full-backs has labored like a allure with Harmanjot Khabra and Mandar Rao Dessai combining properly with Mahesh and Nandha for wing-play and securing the ball again on time. The staff, taking part in in a 4-2-3-1 form, has additionally grow to be quicker and smoother in transitions in comparison with final season and it was one of many six ISL groups to start out its first-team squad within the event. The identical technique — the identical bunch of gamers taking part in extra video games collectively — noticed Bengaluru win the title final season and in addition make it to the ISL last.
Bigger calendar
“We have always been talking about Indian football and the points are always the same. It’s about to make a bigger calendar there with longer competitions… so there are at least around 40 games per season. It’s an average number that gives you at least 11 months of competition,” Cuadrat mentioned.
East Bengal had began the event with two fast objectives within the first half towards the Bangladesh Army Football Team. But within the second half, it conceded cheaply within the final three minutes of regulation time. Cuadrat regarded visibly upset that his staff dropped two factors. And that mistake by no means occurred in the remainder of the event till the ultimate.
East Bengal beat the ISL champion after which Punjab FC, the I-League champion, within the remaining group stage matches to safe a spot within the quarterfinals. It beat Gokulam Kerala and knocked out NorthEast United on penalties within the subsequent part.
East Bengal with Carles Cuadrat on the eve of the matchday.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Though the staff failed to finish a double over Mohun Bagan, Cuadrat’s boys can maintain their heads excessive.
Cuadrat, the person from the land of red-and-yellow, has led his boys in the identical colors in a distinct nation hundreds of miles away. With the ISL and Federation Cup forward, the silver within the Durand Cup can be seen as an appetiser by the Spaniard.