Senior Mohun Bagan officials on Friday scrambled to calm nerves and clear the doubts among players and non-playing staff a day after the merger with Indian Super League team ATK was announced.
According to a source, the officials — assistant secretary Srinjoy Basu and finance secretary Debashis Dutta — held talks with the players, coach Kibu Vicuna and the support staff at the Salt Lake Stadium practice ground.
“They stated that future of the players and the coaching staff has not been compromised and we should not lose focus ahead of Sunday’s I-League Derby against East Bengal,” a player told The Telegraph, speaking under cover of anonymity.
“It was more like a pep talk but the players and the coaching staff are still apprehensive about their future,” he added.
ATK’s principal owner, Sanjiv Goenka, had categorically told this newspaper on Thursday that the ISL franchise’s head coach Antonio Lopez Habas would be at the helm of the new entity.
Mohun Bagan’s Dutta later tried to allay fears among the fans that the club had been “sold lock stock and barrel” to Goenka’s RPSG.
“It’s a joint venture between Kolkata Games and Sports Pvt. Ltd and Mohun Bagan Football Club (India) Pvt. Ltd where the former would have 80 per cent of the shares. We all want professionalism and this merger will only benefit the football team,” Dutta explained.
One of the questions being asked in football circles is what happens to ATK, which was promoted to CFL Premier Division Group B, since ATK-Mohun Bagan are set to play in the Premier Division Group A. Indian Football Association secretary Joydeep Mukherjee said the parent body would first have to get an official letter from the parties concerned.
“As of now we do not know the modalities. ATK and Mohun Bagan would have to inform us. But if ATK want to keep their team for Premier Division Group B, and also play as ATK-Mohun Bagan in Group A, there will not be any problem,” Mukherjee said.
ATK sources though said these are still early days. “Let the committee be formed. After that we can take a call,” an ATK source said.
Sourav Ganguly termed the merger as way forward.
“Football has changed. This is the right way forward. Many big clubs like Manchester have also done this. Only time will tell about the success. This is the way forward. Hopefully, East Bengal will also get into a deal soon,” Sourav said.
