ATK Mohun Bagan head coach Juan Ferrando has stated that his dream is to win the Hero ISL, AFC Cup, and all the tournaments that the club participates in. Ferrando is known to be one of the best coaches in the Hero ISL and had played a key role in the success of his former team, FC Goa.
The Spaniard had led ATK Mohun Bagan to the semifinals of the previous season of the Hero ISL after joining the side during the middle of the season. Meanwhile, the Mariners have added exciting talent before the start of the tournament.
On the other hand, ATK Mohun Bagan has qualified for the inter-zone semifinals of the AFC Cup. Ferrando believes the team will also have a good chance to go all the way in the Durand Cup.
Juan Ferrando said while talking to the official Instagram page of ATK Mohun Bagan, “I’m incredibly excited for the new season because this season is different. Firstly, we have a great opportunity in August with the Durand Cup. I think the championship in front of us is a great opportunity to try to give our best. Then, you have the Super Cup, so, it’s going to be an amazing season. But, honestly, the most important thing is the training, the pre-season is very significant and I hope that the players come with a strong personality and with 100% motivation. I think it’s important for us to be ready and be positive, except when it comes to covid-19. In the end, players take time with their families and friends and they’re not only thinking about football all the time, so it’s good for them to meet people other than football.”
Meanwhile, ATK Mohun Bagan has added players like Ashique Kuruniyan, Hamill Brendan, Asish Rai, or Pogba Florentin to their squad before the start of the new season. Thus, the Mariners have certainly added value to the squad. Ferrando also shed light on the players who departed the club after their contracts ended.
He said, “Everybody knows about our signings, be it Ashique [Kuruniyan], Hamill [Brendan], Asish [Rai], or Pogba [Florentin]. I’m happy that they want to join us and help. They have quality, they are very strong players, they can help in our playing style, but it’s very important when we have the first meeting to know whether they can help improve ATK Mohun Bagan.”
He added, “With respect to the departures, this is the life of footballers, sometimes it’s necessary to find the best players for our team, sometimes there’s agreement, sometimes there’s disagreement, so it’s not so easy. But all these players have helped the club a lot and have been an important part of the club, we can never forget that. At this moment, the squad is not complete but I’m happy with the mentality our players have.”
Juan Ferrando will once again look to get the best out of players in the upcoming season. Furthermore, it will be interesting to note how Ferrando will manage his players’ workload in the longer season.
