Kerala Blasters coach Kibu Vicuna still has good sentiments for his former club Mohun Bagan.
Ahead of his team’s clash against ATK Mohun Bagan, in the opening match of the seventh edition of Indian Super League (ISL), Vicuna said: “I will always have very good sentiments with Mohun Bagan. I was there last season and they treated me really well. I have a lot of friends there. But I’m very happy to be in Kerala Blasters. The people here also received me very well. I have a very good relationship with the staff of the club. We will try to play good football and that’s what is most important,” Vicuna said at the pre-match media conference on Thursday.
Vicuna is not fully satisfied with the pre-season but he believes his team would improve as the tournament progresses. “It is true that the pre-season was short. In a new team, you like to train more. You have players who ended quarantine three days ago. Every team has its own problems. No complaints and excuses. We are happy to start the league.
“The foreign players came later due to visa issues and they need more time. The whole team needs more time, not only physically but also tactically. We are going to be better next month than today, I am sure about that,” Vicuna said.
Last season Antonio Lopez Habas helped ATK to win the ISL, while under Vicuna’s guidance Mohun Bagan won the I-League. But Vicuna doesn’t think the match is going to be the battle between two successful coaches of Indian football. “It is ATK Mohun Bagan versus Kerala Blasters, nothing more. The main actors of the team are always the players, not the coaches.”
Kerala Blasters will have three captains in Costa Nhamoinesu, Cidoncha and Jessel Carneiro this season.
“For me, which player is going to be the representative of the team is very important. These players have the qualities to be good captains and that’s why they are going to be the representatives of the team.
“To be captain is not only about having the armband, it is about representing the team on and off the field. I like to have three-to-four captains. Perhaps in the future, we will add one more.”
