Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan have grappled out two wins in their two opening I-League 2017 fixtures and now face debutants Minerva Punjab FC at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium on Tuesday.
While most would predict an easy win for the mighty Mariners, head coach Sanjoy Sen did not see any sense in that prognosis.
Mohun Bagan's Sony Norde preaches, "Love is more important than money"
"Saying that we will go to nine points is easy but we have to walk the talk on the pitch. We have brainstormed after the Lajong match and that is, of course, our target to win and get momentum ahead of the away games," began Sen.
Opponents on Tuesday, Minerva Punjab FC are winless including a draw in their first ever top division game. However, all stacks are backed against them for the tie as Mohun Bagan's star-studded attacking line-up could see the re-introduction of Sony Norde.
The former United SC coach did not dwell into what his first eleven could look like, as ever. However, it is understood that defender Eduardo Ferreira may be in line to make a Bagan debut.
"I have seen them on the telly. Manandeep (Singh) and Joel Sunday are good strikers. They have a good right wing half in Victor Amobi. Arashpreet (Singh) and Loveday (Eyinnaya) are good centre-backs. Ravi Kumar, the goalkeeper was with me earlier so I know some of them", he assessed the Ludhiana-based team.
Counterpart Surinder Singh was part of AIFF Elite Academy's coaching staff in the Under 16 category at the same time Sen was in-charge of the Under 13 group.
Sen explained how both of them have come a long way together since age-group coaching. "Yes, he was coaching in another age-group in my AIFF U-13 academy days under the guidance of Colm Toal. In fact, many of the current Minerva players had come for trials in their younger days"
"I remember Manandeep Singh, Ravi Kumar, Simranjeet Singh and Souvick Das clearly. This was eight-nine years ago. Things have changed since then and they have a lot of youngsters coming in."
When asked if now Minerva and former AIFF Academy technical director Colm Toal' philosophies might clash in form of both coach's style of play, Sen nodded in the affirmative.
"There could be (a similarity between the styles of play). I believe in playing a 4-4-2 and he does too. Many coaches around the world don't like it though. Look at Arsenal where Arsene Wenger had been playing this for the last 16 or so years", he explained.
Further adding," Some like playing a back three system. Antonio Conte has brought this 3-4-3 from Italy into Chelsea and they are tasting success. For me and my boys, we are not ready to metamorph into such a system. I don't like to experiment too much and follow a set pattern."
While most would predict an easy win for the mighty Mariners, head coach Sanjoy Sen did not see any sense in that prognosis.
Mohun Bagan's Sony Norde preaches, "Love is more important than money"
"Saying that we will go to nine points is easy but we have to walk the talk on the pitch. We have brainstormed after the Lajong match and that is, of course, our target to win and get momentum ahead of the away games," began Sen.
Opponents on Tuesday, Minerva Punjab FC are winless including a draw in their first ever top division game. However, all stacks are backed against them for the tie as Mohun Bagan's star-studded attacking line-up could see the re-introduction of Sony Norde.
The former United SC coach did not dwell into what his first eleven could look like, as ever. However, it is understood that defender Eduardo Ferreira may be in line to make a Bagan debut.
"I have seen them on the telly. Manandeep (Singh) and Joel Sunday are good strikers. They have a good right wing half in Victor Amobi. Arashpreet (Singh) and Loveday (Eyinnaya) are good centre-backs. Ravi Kumar, the goalkeeper was with me earlier so I know some of them", he assessed the Ludhiana-based team.
Counterpart Surinder Singh was part of AIFF Elite Academy's coaching staff in the Under 16 category at the same time Sen was in-charge of the Under 13 group.
Sen explained how both of them have come a long way together since age-group coaching. "Yes, he was coaching in another age-group in my AIFF U-13 academy days under the guidance of Colm Toal. In fact, many of the current Minerva players had come for trials in their younger days"
"I remember Manandeep Singh, Ravi Kumar, Simranjeet Singh and Souvick Das clearly. This was eight-nine years ago. Things have changed since then and they have a lot of youngsters coming in."
When asked if now Minerva and former AIFF Academy technical director Colm Toal' philosophies might clash in form of both coach's style of play, Sen nodded in the affirmative.
"There could be (a similarity between the styles of play). I believe in playing a 4-4-2 and he does too. Many coaches around the world don't like it though. Look at Arsenal where Arsene Wenger had been playing this for the last 16 or so years", he explained.
Further adding," Some like playing a back three system. Antonio Conte has brought this 3-4-3 from Italy into Chelsea and they are tasting success. For me and my boys, we are not ready to metamorph into such a system. I don't like to experiment too much and follow a set pattern."