KOLKATA: Hardly had East Bengal FC’s interim coach Bino George and Spanish midfielder Saul Crespo settled into addressing the mediapersons on Friday afternoon when the press conference room at the club tent was plunged into darkness owing to a power cut.
How symbolic it might look for East Bengal a day ahead of hosting Mohun Bagan SG at the Salt Lake Stadium.
The exit from the season-opening Durand Cup at the quarterfinal stage, starting the Indian Super League with four defeats on the bounce and the departure of Carles Cuadrat as head coach — indeed everything is looking as dark as a moonless night for a troubled and tortured red-and-gold side. They look like a team constrained by self-doubts, their game uninspiring and unable to get over the line.
The season’s first senior derby, thus, is coming with some interesting and intriguing dynamics for both teams.
East Bengal’s newly-appointed coach Oscar Bruzon is scheduled to arrive in the wee hours of Saturday and expected to sit in the dug-out.
The onus will be clearly on the hosts as Bruzon might get a first-hand account of the challenge at hand and how East Bengal — having already suffered their worst start to the ISL season and desperately searching for a change in fortunes — are responding to the crisis call.
George insisted on Friday that the team’s bad patch is not a confidence thing. “When I see the boys in the training ground, they all are eager to fight back,” East Bengal’s interim coach said.
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