Indian Soccer Article | Indian Football Capital-Lolkata

Prospects of the Clubs in the ONGC I-League 2009-10?

Mar 04, 2010 by Rana Bose, Kolkata

This year’s ONGC I-League 2010 like in previous years is a long and arduous competition for the participating players and their teams. Each of the fourteen teams has to play 26 rounds spread over the two legs. A side winning this competition is not only considered to be the best football team in the country but also the most consistent of the lot.

I-LEAGUE 2009 - 10 MATCH PAGES || INTERNATIONAL SPORTS SUMMIT

Before we discuss as to which team will “breast the tape” and win the championship this year, we must understand that the following traits are essential for a side to do the job are –

1. Reasonable consistency level and fluidity in the pattern of play.
2. Enough character and determination in away matches.
3. Ability to score goals consistently along with a reasonably watertight defense to plug goals being scored against.
4. Side having the right man for the right job, i.e., players in appropriate playing position.
5. A consistent injury-free and suspension-free starting line-up.
6. A reasonably competent bench strength to fill the gaps necessitated due to injuries, suspensions etc.
7. A coach with the uncanny ability to read the game and undertake the required mid-match course-correction whenever needed and finally
8. A fair slice of luck.

Before pre-empting a guess and choose to hazard a title winner it will be more prudent to slot the teams into three groups, (a) the front-runners, i.e., the top six sides any of which could be the potential title winner, (b) the middle-tier, i.e., the teams which could end up between seventh to the tenth spot and (c) the back runners slotted between eleven and fourteen fighting off relegation woes as the competition reaches the final stage. An analysis of the top six teams who are serious title contenders based on the performance in the first leg shows the point difference to be a meager six between the first and the sixth with thirteen more matches to be played. Needless to say all sides have been subjected to the uncertainties associated with the snake-and-ladder games we have often played in our childhood days – The Front Runners (1 to 6)

1. Dempo Sports Club, Goa: – This side is currently maintaining pole position and their current form indicates that they intend to hold on to this till the final round. Analyzing their standings at the end of the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 13th rounds, it is amply evident that the team has been fairly consistent in their approach. The team’s standing at the end of the above rounds were –

Matches	Won	Draw	Loss	GF	GA	GD	Pts
End 3rd	2	1	0	8	3	5	7
End 6th	3	3	0	13	7	6	12
End 9th	5	3	1	21	12	9	18
End 13th	7	5	1	28	15	13	26

With a few prolific goal scorers like Ranty Martins, Roberto Mendes Silva (Beto), Clifford Miranda, Anthony Periera and Joaquim Abranches, the upfront is also bolstered with the induction of Sunil Chetri from Kingfisher East Bengal and Nascimento Silviera from Churchill Brothers. The midfield has dependable players in Climax Lawrence, Jerry Zirsanga, Clifford Miranda and Nicolau Borges. Also boasting of some very dependable players in the back-four, Dharamjit Singh (from MMB), Anwar Ali (from JCT), John Dias, Peter Carvalho, Samir Naik and Mahesh Gawli. A coach cannot ask for more and therefore this side is favored to win this year’s competition unless they spoil the show themselves by degrading their performance to the level of mediocrity.

2. Chirag United, Kolkata: – The side has been a revelation this year. Composed mostly of discards from the big three clubs of Kolkata, the side has shown exemplary poise and determination in the 1st leg of the competition and has proved many a pundit wrong. Subrata (Babloo) Bhattacharjee as coach has moulded the side to perfection and have performed creditably this season. Fresh from a tournament win (E. K. Nayanar trophy) the side will again lock horns with the famed McDowell Mohun Bagan in the 2nd leg opener. Considering the turmoil after Karim Bencherifa’s exit from Bagan, Chirag United could again do a repeat act similar to the first leg outing. At the start of the 2nd leg of the competition they are enviably placed in the 2nd spot. The only cause of worry for the side is the fact that it is heavily dependent on the Brazilian trio of Eduardo (Du) Chacon, Joshimar da Silva and Edmilson Pardel.

Matches	Won	Draw	Loss	GF	GA	GD	Pts
End 3rd	2	1	0	8	6	2	7
End 6th	3	3	0	12	9	3	12
End 9th	5	3	1	15	11	4	18
End 13th	6	5	2	20	15	5	23

3. Mahindra United, Mumbai: - Often addressed as the “Jeep men”, the side has quite a few very talented players in their fold. Boasting of players of the caliber of Stephen Dias, K. Ajayan Nair, N. P. Pradeep, Sushant Mathews, Mohammad Rafi, Dharmaraj Ravanan and the Nigerian Muritala Ali they are quite capable of annihilating the opponent teams. The team’s status at the end of rounds 3, 6, 9 and 13 look very interesting –

Matches	Won	Draw	Loss	GF	GA	GD	Pts
End 3rd	2	1	0	8	4	4	7
End 6th	2	4	0	12	8	4	10
End 9th	4	5	0	19	10	9	17
End 13th	5	7	1	25	12	13	22

4. Churchill Brothers, Goa – They won the competition last year due to an exemplary display of form by the Nigerian trio of Odafa Okolie, Ogba Kalu and Felix and a few others. This year however they have been slightly slow and off color in this competition although having won two back-to-back all-India knockout tournaments such as the IFA Shield and the Durand Cup.

Matches	Won	Draw	Loss	GF	GA	GD	Pts
End 3rd	2	1	0	8	3	5	7
End 6th	3	3	0	13	7	6	12
End 9th	5	3	1	21	12	9	18
End 13th	7	5	1	28	15	13	26

5. McDowell Mohun Bagan, Kolkata – Last year’s I-League runners-up did start of as a strong title contender this year. Having held on to the nucleus they had inducted Chiddi Edeh, the prolific Nigerian from Mahindra United as a replacement for Bhaichung Bhutia who had switched allegiance to Kingfisher East Bengal. The side reached the finals of the two knockout tournaments, the IFA Shield and the Durand Cup but eventually lost out to Odafa Okolie’s Churchill Brothers. The team has quite a few competent players in each of the zones, but because of lack of proper focus and planning the team is dogged with injuries. The officials have still not reconciled themselves to the fact that the Kolkata Premier League is now a mediocre competition and have risked wasting the energies of their star players by making them play the local league. The current coach, Satyajit Chatterjee, a star midfielder in his playing days is a rookie in the art of independently coaching a big club and could choke and mess-up things when the conditions get tough for the side. It will be creditable if the side moves up a few steps up from the current standing.

Matches	Won	Draw	Loss	GF	GA	GD	Pts
End 3rd	1	0	2	5	5	0	3
End 6th	3	0	3	13	11	2	9
End 9th	4	2	3	20	16	4	14
End 13th	6	2	5	29	22	7	20

6. Kingfisher East Bengal Club, Kolkata: – The side should have been a title contender to start with but because of a big goof-up by their coach, Subhas Bhowmick they have had a stop-start season and were an unsure lot. The Club recruited a few foreigners with much fanfare at the start of the season and tested them out in both the IFA Shield and the Durand Cup. The inglorious exit in the group stage prompted the Club management to discard all of them without much hesitation. Currently under the Belgian coach, Philipe de Rider, the side has somehow solved quite a few problems in defense after the induction of the big-bodied Okpara. In Yusif Yakubu and Abel Hammond they have two sincere goal-machines. The side is quite capable of being a few places up the ladder and could give a fight to the teams positioned ahead.

Matches	Won	Draw	Loss	GF	GA	GD	Pts
End 3rd	0	2	1	2	3	-1	2
End 6th	1	3	2	7	9	-2	6
End 9th	3	3	3	11	10	1	12
End 13th	5	5	3	15	12	3	20

Looking at the performance of the top six teams it becomes evident that the top three teams have been prolific in scoring goals and have maintained a healthy goal difference.

Another important factor, which cannot be overlooked is that, teams like Dempo, Mahindra and Churchill have all performed creditably in away matches. A brief insight into their match results both in the home and away matches will shed some light in the analysis

HOME MATCHES

AWAY MATCHES

Surprisingly, McDowell Mohun Bagan have performed creditably playing away from home as compared to their performance in Kolkata. In the 2nd leg they have 8 matches to play at home and their character and composure will be severely tested.

Similarly, Kingfisher East Bengal also have 8 home matches in the 2nd leg and coach Philipe de Rider’s side will also have to do justice to the trust and expectations reposed on them by their supporters.

All in all this edition of the I-League will be keenly contested and will go to the wire as none of the six teams as of now stand out to be a clear favorite to be termed as the run-away victor.