CALCUTTA (India): Former India internationals on Tuesday opined that the presence of average foreign footballers in Calcutta clubs hasn’t benefitted the sport.
The Mariners have hired five Spaniards Francisco Morante Martínez Joseba Beitia, Francisco Munoz, Salva Martinez “Chamorro”, Julen Colinas (Spain) and Daneil Cyrus from Trinidad & Tobago this season.
“There’s an influx of inexperienced and low quality foreigners who are currently plying their trade in Calcutta clubs,” said former Mohun Bagan captain Goutam Sarkar.
Sarkar along with Manoranjan Bhattacharya, Jamshid Nassiri and Nasir Ahmed were speaking at a book launch ceremony on Tuesday.
“The overseas players at Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are not only ineligible, they’ve also denied space to the local footballers in the teams,” added Sarkar. “I blame the Calcutta club officials for such a maltreatment towards home grown players. I want to know on what basis they’re hiring them.”
Spanish flavour in Calcutta clubs
East Bengal, who finished second in I-League last season, has signed Jaime Santos Colado (Spain), Kassim Aidara (Senegal), Juan Mera González (Spain) and Marcos de la Espada (Spain).
“Calcutta football’s attraction and charm has been lost because we don’t have another like Majid,” said former centre-back Manoranjan, who played alongside the Iranian in 1980 and 1981 at East Bengal.
Most of the current foreigners who are playing in India doesn’t have the same quality like Majid.
Manoranjan Bhattacharya, former East Bengal captain & coach.
Interestingly both Bagan and East Bengal, arguably India’s top fan-based clubs, have gained little success this season after having failed to win the local league and Durand Cup.
“I was blessed to have played alongside Majid. But it’s bad to see the poor quality of foreigners in Calcutta and elsewhere in the country. They wouldn’t have got the chance to appear for a trial in our time,” said Nassiri, who’s regarded as one of the best foreign strikers to have played in India.
Nasir Ahmed, former East Bengal goalkeeper in 1980 season, was also vocal on the downslide of Calcutta football.
“The clubs are hiring average foreigners. That’s why the quality of the game has come down in Calcutta,” said Ahmed.
