I-League / Mohun Bagan /

Sanjoy Sen cautions against over-confidence, says focus is on Aizawl trip after beating Yangon

By TFG Team
March 17, 2016

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MOHUN BAGAN COACH Sanjoy Sen has cautioned against over-confidence after his team finished the first leg of the AFC Cup Group Stage with a 100% win record.

Speaking to reporters after the Mariners beat Yangon United 3-2 at Guwahati, Sen said that there was no scope for relaxing as a pre-quarter final berth was not yet secured,

"If we lose the 3 remaining group stage matches, we will not go through. So we have to take the upcoming matches very, very seriously."

But the I-League winning coach was full of praise for his players,

"Jeje was exceptional. And Subhash Singh played almost the whole game after being out for so long. I didn't expect that much."

Sen was, however, quick to make it clear where his priorities lay,

"The main focus must be on the I-League. We have to focus on the matches that are coming up."

Mohun Bagan are to play arch-rivals East Bengal on 2nd April; and the Red and Golds are already busy preparing for it. But Sanjoy Sen said he had other fish to fry before that,

"Right now I'm only worried about the Aizawl FC game... it's an away game we'll be missing a few players."

To be played on 26th March, the Aizawl FC vs Mohun Bagan match is bang in the middle of the international break. Thus the Mariners are expected to be without Jeje Lalpekhlua, Pritam Kotal, Kinshuk Debnath and Pronay Halder who have been picked for the Indian national team camp, and may be included in the final squad. Sony Norde, too, is going to be away; he has been picked for the Haiti national team and will be back only for the Kolkata Derby. This leaves the Mohun Bagan team considerably weakened in terms of attacking prowess.

As things stand, Sen is still serving his suspension from the touchline in the I-League, so his presence in the bench is something the defending champions will have to do without for now; but he is expected to travel everywhere with the team, conduct all practice sessions and continue as the chief strategist of the Mariners.