Mohammedan Sporting’s plight in their maiden Indian Super League season has been underwhelming. The century-old Kolkata outfit are languishing at the bottom of the table with just 11 points from 18 games. The club management is not on the same page with the investors. Adding to the woes, the players and coaching staff are not being paid salaries over the last two months. leading to the Russian coach Andrey Chernyshov resigning from his post.
Mehrajuddin Wadoo, who has been entrusted with the responsibilities of coaching the side in the absence of Chernyshov, did not have a good start as his side were thrashed 0-4 by Mohun Bagan, on Saturday. As the club prepares for the upcoming away fixture against Hyderabad FC on February 8, the newly-appointed Mohammedan Sporting coach shares his thoughts on the remaining six matches in the ISL. Here are the excerpts:
It has not not been a great start for you as the coach of Mohammedan Sporting as your side suffered a crushing defeat against Mohun Bagan in the last match…
Mehrajuddin: It was a tough challenge as we all know Mohun Bagan are a strong side and are on top of the ISL points table. We have never shied away from challenges. Conceding three goals in the first half from set pieces pushed us back. And Qasimov getting a red card did not help our cause. I thought the players put up a good fight in the second half. We still have six matches remaining and are hopeful of doing well.
Are you enjoying this new role as the coach of Mohammedan Sporting?
Mehrajuddin: I will be lying if I say I am not enjoying my role as the coach of Mohammedan Sporting. It has been only seven years since I started coaching. I retired as a player in 2017 and always wanted to be involved in coaching. I was always passionate about coaching and have been involved as coach in I League clubs.
It was always a huge opportunity to coach in the ISL and I have previously been involved as a coach at the Mohammedan Sporting club. At this moment, it is tough not only for the players but the coaching staff as well. Despite the challenges, my aim will be to guide the team well in the remaining six matches in ISL.
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How challenging is it for you as a coach to motivate the players who have not been getting salaries for the last two months?
Mehrajuddin: I would like to say that all my players are very professional and committed to give their best despite issues with their salaries. Obviously, at times, it can be demotivating for the players when their demands are not met. The situation at Mohammedan Sporting club is nothing new in Indian football. Even I faced such incidents (salary issues) during my playing days. The good thing is all the concerned parties, I mean the club management and investors are trying to get the issues sorted as quickly as possible.
There has been an initiative to settle the crisis. It is a big challenge for me as a coach to motivate the players to give their best on the pitch but I take full responsibility. My job has been to constantly tell my players to focus on their game rather than getting worried with off-field issues. They need to realise that they will get their salaries which are due. They need to leave aside the salary issues and concentrate on their game once they are on the field, as their primary objective as a player is to give their best for the team.
What are your thoughts on the upcoming away fixture against Hyderabad FC as they are also struggling this season?
Mehrajuddin: All the teams in the ISL are competitive and Hyderabad FC is no different. Yes, they also have not had a good season and will be desperate to salvage some points towards the final stages of the league. We want to leave behind the result against Mohun Bagan and are preparing well for the away fixture against Hyderabad FC. Our primary target will be to get a point.
You will miss Kasimov in the crucial encounter against Hyderabad as he is serving a suspension. Would you say it was a bit irresponsible of him to get the red card against Mohun Bagan?
Mehrajuddin: I would say it was an act of frustration from him (Kasimov) to see the team trailing 0-3 in the first half. There will be challenges and you must find ways to overcome it. It could have been avoided as it put the team in further trouble. To play with 10 men against a team like Mohun Bagan is always going to be difficult.
Are you not happy with the overall fitness of the players? We saw today the entire practice session was focused on enhancing endurance and strength training…
Mehrajuddin: There are still a few days remaining for our next fixture against Hyderabad FC. So, the emphasis was to enhance the fitness and endurance of the players. We will be back focusing on the technical aspect when we return to training on Wednesday and Thursday before we leave for Hyderabad on Friday.
You have played for this club and know enough about the passion of fans. What will be your message to them?
Mehrajuddin: The passion among the loyal fans in all three big clubs in Kolkata is unmatched compared to other clubs in the country. Players get the warmth here in Kolkata. The loyal fans do not leave the club even during the tough times. They have every reason to get angry and disappointed when the team is not getting the desired results.
They should also remember that this is the first season for Mohammedan Sporting in the ISL. They have come to the stadium to support us in every match we played. We will try to bring back the smile on the faces of the loyal fans.
Also Read: Can Punjab halt Mohun Bagan’s Juggernaut?