Mohun Bagan may offer Oliver Kahn Life Time Membership!

Oliver Kahn will be playing against Mohun Bagan Ac, the oldest Club in Asia before hanging up his gloves. Bagan officials are already busy in coming with thoughts of how to honour the German Legend when he takes the field for the last time on the 27th of May. Unofficial sources claim that Bagan secretary Anjan Mitra and officials have come up with the thought of offering Oliver Kahn with a life time membership of Mohun Bagan Ac though as of now nothing has been made official till now.

Transfer news!

Bagan have already signed Shilton Paul, the promising goalie for the coming year and after much speculations, Lalampuia has been kept in Bagan for another year. Though Bagan will miss the services of Dharamjit Singh as most likely he will be signing for East Bengal. Though Bagan are trying for Syed Rahim Nabi of East Bengal, KEB officials are not so keen on losing him

Bagan promises all help to Barreto!

Mohun Bagan has promised to use all its resources to clear its star striker, Jose Ramirez Barreto, out of forex violation charges. Though club officials termed it a “minor case”, the Brazilian forward stares at the possibility of prolonged detention at his temporary residence here. “As far as I can gauge, it is a minor case and he (Barreto) will be cleared of the charges soon,” said Bagan Secretary Anjan Mitra. The player, who was arrested and subsequently released on bail on Thursday, sees his chances of reuniting with his family at Sao Paulo receding with his passport being confiscated. The club is seeking legal opinion while preparing for the next hearing of Barreto’s case on April 4, he said. The club Secretary echoed Barreto’s claim that he was not aware of the laws that specify the foreign exchange one could carry. “He could have easily got it endorsed as his wife and two children did not take any money home. He was taking the whole amount (around $20,000) back home,” said Mitra.

Further it is being argued that Barreto has no reason to be held back in India as in these case, the accused can leave the country but before signing a bond. Thus a lot of speculation is being made about this issue.

Source: The Hindu

Mohun Bagan compell UB to compensate!

Mohun Bagan had been in contention with the UB group and Kingfisher East Bengal for the last one year over the latter's non payment of transfer fees for players moving from Mohun Bagan to East Bengal. For the season 2006-07 East Bengal roped in 5 players from Bagan to KEB, of them being Mehatab Hussain, Meherajuddin Wadoo, Subrata Paul, Tomba Singh and Dipendu. Bagan put their claim to 50 lakhs as the transfer fee to be paid to them for these 5 players. KEB and UB were not so inclined to pay up for these players but after much discussion it has been now decided that the UB group will pay 30 lakhs to Mohun Bagan for the three players, Subrata Paul, Meherajuddin and Dipendu Biswas as only of the 5 players, these three are Mohun Bagan players, while Tomba Singh, who though a Mohun Bagan player has not yet been registered by KEB while Mehetab Hussain is an ONGC players playing as a lien in Mohun Bagan.

Barreto in trouble!

Barreto, after signing his contract for the next season with Mohun Bagan, was leaving town today morning for Brazil via Dubai. While boarding the Emirates flight at around 9.00am , he was detained by the Airport Customs Authority. He was questioned for unlawful possession of foreign currency which amounted to 21 thousand Dollars out of which only 3 thousand dollar, later, was granted to be clean by the authority according to papers. The rest of the money was unaccounted for and after contacting the Bagan officials, Barreto was arrested to be put up in the Barasat Court later in the day.Barreto has submitted his explanation but according to sources his explanation does not seem credible and could entail more trouble. He has however been granted bail on a personal payment of Rs. 10,000/- (INR) and his passport withheld for security

Mohun Bagan receives invitation from Australia!

After the Bayern Munich deal, Mohun Bagan officials and fans are over joyed at the prospect of the team flying to Australia to play a number of friendly matches. Bagan players have just returned from their trip to Mauritius and the invitations coming at a time when the season has already come to an end is of some concern to the officials as this is denying the boys of their well rest to be fit for the next season. This is only reason why Bagan may abandon the trip to Australia. Deal with Karim to be finalised! Mohun Bagan official Debashish Dutta will be flying off to Delhi tomorrow in order to finalise the deal with Karim Bencharifa for the 2008-09 season. Karim has severed all relations with Churchill Brothers and is all free and Bagan officials have successfully roped in the Moroccon coach for the upcoming season. Unofficial sources claim that Karim has cost Mohun Bagan Rs. 60,00,000 INR for one year and Bagan set off another record for having the highest paid Coach in India. Karim after the contract will be off to Italy to take an advanced course for professional coaching and will come back to Kolkata in time for the pre-season camp.

Bagan draw with Mauritius!

Mohun Bagan today faced the Mauritius National Team in the Independence Cup held in Mauritius. Bagan had went down 2-0 against the national side of Madagascar and so this was match certainly a match to save colors and certainly the Club from India gave an equal fight to the national team of Mauritius. Information is very hard come by from the remote island near Africa and the detail of the match is unavailable,according to sources the match ended 2-2 thus ending Bagan's post season trip.

Mohun Bagan next are scheduled to meet Bayern Munich of Germany this month!

Mohun Bagan v/s Bayern Munich!!

Bayern’s Asian promotional drive has already featured visits to Japan and China, and is now set to incorporate Indonesia and India on a ten-day post-season tour of the region, the club announced on Tuesday. The aim is to drive awareness of and affinity to the German Bundesliga in general and the Bayern Munich brand in particular.On 17 May, a day after the final Bundesliga match of the season against Hertha BSC Berlin, a Bayern delegation will set off for Jakarta ready for a friendly match against the Indonesian national team three days later. The Munich party then moves on to China for the Allianz Cup return leg against the Chinese Olympic football team in Guangzhou on 24 May, before a third and final exhibition match in India on 27 May against Mohan Bagun AC, the oldest club in Asia . "We’re delighted that Bayern will play on 27 May in Kolkata [Calcutta]," commented Indian Consul General J.S. Mukul at a news conference in Munich on Tuesday. “Bayern will attract a great deal of attention in India and bring a new dimension to the Bavarian-Indian relationship. This is the beginning of a good footballing partnership between India and Bayern." as published on the official website of Bayern Munich.

The match against Mohun Bagan AC will assume a greater significance since it is set to be the great Oliver Kahn’s farewell match for Bayern as a professional footballer.

“All the top Bayern stars will be there at the Salt Lake Stadium on May 27,” Though a clutch of Bayern’s internationals, including Franck Ribery, Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose, will be away preparing for the Euro 2008 in Switzerland, Rummenigge promised that the club would field a “high quality team” featuring the likes of Mark van Bommel, Martin Demichelis, Lucio, Ze Roberto, Daniel van Buyten and Andreas Ottl alongside captain and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn. The tour will be the last appearance for the former World Cup captain, who will hang up his boots at the end of the season.

Bayern Munich also plan to hold training sessions in Calcutta for kids and youths together, led by Ottmar Hitzfeld and Michael Henke. Exceptionally talented youngsters may be invited to the FC Bayern Football School in Rust forfurther skills training, supervised by qualified coaches.

Madagascar down Mohun Bagan AC!

Today Mohun Bagan AC lost 2-0 against the Madagascar National Team, in the friendly Tri Nation series held in Mauritius, celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Independence of Mauritius. Even though Madagascar went one man down in the 33rd minute, Bagan could not find enough strength to score a goal, instead went one goal down in the 40th minute. Bagan tried to equalise but their efforts fell dead when again Madagascar scored the second in the 60th minute pushing Bagan out of the match. Bagan meet Mauritius on the 14th of March. In the last match, Mauritius lost 1-2 against Madagascar.

Karim to coach Mohun Bagan!

Only days after the ongoing season for Churchill came to an end, Churchill coach, Karim Bencherifa confirmed the news of him coming to Kolkata from Goa and coaching the side in Green and Maroon. He will join Bagan when the season starts off and he has already submitted his choice of players to the Bagan officials! The only bad news is all the rumours about Okilli Odafe coming to Mohun Bagan will not be coming true as Odafe has asked 80 lakhs of Indian Rupee.

Lalkamal to stay back! Lalkamal Bhowmick has been pursuaded by the officials to stay one more year in Mohun Bagan and his payroll has been cut to 18 lakhs from 22 lakhs. Even Ishfaq Ahmed has decided to wear the green and maroon jersey for yet another year. As of now, Venkatesh and Manju might move on to HAL and Lalampuia and a few others along with Dipak Mondal might join Subhash Bhowmick's Salgaocar. Peter Odafe is also most likely to stay at Mohun Bagan and Bagan officials are trying to contact and rope in Churchill foreigner Mboyo and they are also continuing talks with JCT's Chidi Edeh. Dempo's Steven Dias and Mahindra Goalie Subhasish Chakroborty are interested to join the green and maroon brigade. Bagan to fly off to Mauritius! Bagan are to fly off to Mauritius within a few days to play two matches to end off their season under the coaching of Carlos Perierra.

Bagan fails to reach the final!

Mohun Bagan was estopped today by the South African side, Santos in the semi final of the 113th IFA shield and thus ending the season for Bagan.

Bagan were banking on the 'trusted duo' upfront, Barreto and Bhaichung to pull them to the finals, but the young South African side managed to take advantage of the lacuna in defence and score in regular intervals. The first goal came in the 20th min. when a Santos player from inside the penalty box took a volley. The second was in the 39th min. After the two goals, Bagan piled on more pressure but the well managed Santos defence and more so the horrendous misses by the Bagan strikers did not help much to Bagan's cause.

However, the first goal for Bagan came in the 66th minute when Bhaichung headed in a ball sent in by Barreto. Bgagan still continued to push for two more goal, and as if in a moment of brilliance, Ishfaq Ahmed scored a screamer in the 80th min. Bagan were now 3-2, but the game was put possibility for Bagan when a Santos player in the 89th min scored the 4th for them. Bagan went down 4-2

Bhutia's brace sets Bagan up with Santos in the Semis!

Mohun Bagan today needed just a draw against Dhaka Mohammedan SC to reach the Semis of the 113 IFA shield, but they had other plans as they ensured a fight with Santos in the semis with a convincing victory over their Bangladeshi opponent today at the Barasat Stadium. Dhaka Mohd. SC needing nothing less than a victory stepped on the gas from the beginning and managed to draw first blood when from a seemingly offside position, a Mohd. SC forward scored. But Bagan, undoubtedly the better team now pressurized its opponent and the DMSC defence had a tough time handling the famous Ba-Bha duo and soon Bhaichung proved too hot to handle as a low cross from the left off Rahul Kumar, was met by a flying Bhaichung, who side volleyed the ball into the net. Bagan equalized. Minutes later, a floater from Barreto, inside the penalty box, saw Bhaichung Bhutia chasing in with 3 defenders hot on his heels and seeing the keeper advancing, Bhaichung flung himself up in the air and lofted the ball over the keeper from an acute and thus putting Bagan 2-1 up before the end of the 1st half. With the beginning of the second half, Bagan kept up the tempo and created a whole lot of chances as they were doing the 1st half. Gobin who replaced Barreto in the 60th minute, was tripped inside the box and won a penalty, and Bhutia eyeing his hattrick, quite unlike him, went for the kick after a long time and did no justice to his name, as he shot it widen and missed the golden opportunity to bag the third. However, Bagan still kept on the pressure and even substitute Gobin came close to scoring on a number of opportunities. But it was Ishfaq, in the dying moments of the game, who put in the 3rd and his 4th goal for Bagan this season. Mohun Bagan meet Santos FC in the Semis. Santos FC is a South African club team. They are the group champions of their group winning against Mahindra United 2-0 and sharing points with East Bengal in a 1-1 draw.

Transfer gossips!

It has been heard that Salgaocar's Malsaum Tulunga, better known as Mama in Indian football is all set to sign for bagan this season. He is prolific player down the flanks and his pace will certainly bring fresh wind to the Bagan sails!

Another player by the name of Juniour James is supposed to joined Bagan from Viva Kerala!

Venkatesh may leave Bagan to join HAL, Manju is inclined to play along Venky, so might leave, though officials are trying to keep him tied

Otherwise, Bagan officials are trying to keep the same team.

Bagan trample Mohd. Sp.

The match was an eventful one. The first one came the fastest Goal in Indian football in the last 8 years, when Barreto scored of a chest trap brought down by Bhaichung and laid in his path by Ishfaq on the 20th second of the match. It reminded us of Akbar goal, playing for Mohun Bagan against East Bengal in the 16th second. However, other early goals in Indian football are, Dipankar Roy's goal in 9.33 seconds which is the fastest goal in Indian football in Bengal’s match against Karnataka in a Santosh Trophy tie in 2000. In a first division group B match in 1996, Alamgir Akon of Eastern Coalfield scored in the 10th second against Indian Boys Athletic Club, while I.M. Vijayan had slammed home in 12th second against Bhutan in SAF Games 1999.

Bagan went into the lead in the 20th second breaking the confidence of the boys in black and white. However, it was obvious that the green and maroon brigade would take control of the match but so early?

Soon enough, Bagan got another chance to score through Ishfaq, who managed to hit the keeper and he hit and earn a corner. From the corner however, Douglas headed it into the six yard box and Barreto rose to the occasion and put another one in. 2-0.

Barreto completed his first hattrick of this season on the 18th minute when a James floater off a free kick form the left found Barreto before the ball could reach the keeper, and 3-0 it was. Mohd. Sp. keeper Naseen Akhtar was helpless. Though Bagan found numerous other occasions to score lack of initiative failed them. The half ended.

In the second half, with the picking up of Bhaichung and Barreto, Mohd. Sp. tried to give a last bite as Mike Okoro their, only big card tried to get past the Bagan defense, marshaled by Odafe and Siddique. However, the score line read the same, 3-0, though in the injury time, MAC's Pio, Sewram Gobin netted a ball, but he was ruled offside, whereas he was an yard behind the last defender. But already 3-0 up, protests made no sense.

Bagan play their next match against Dhaka Mohammedan on Monday at the Howrah Stadium.