I-League: We will have to work as a team under Subhash Bhowmick – Mohun Bagan’s Balwant Singh

Balwant Singh

It has been a quite turnaround for Balwant Singh in the last 12 months because at this time last year he had become an unknown in Indian football following a difficult two-year spell at Salgaocar where he hardly featured for the first team.

But another Goan club Churchill Brothers gave him a lifeline and Balwant made the most of it as he scored 17 goals in all competitions to once again become one of the best strikers in the country.

Balwant wanted to repay the faith that Churchill Brothers had shown in him last summer but the failure of the Red Machines to get the national license to play in the I-League made it impossible for the 27-year-old to remain at the club.

He became a target of both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan but eventually the Punjabi lad chose the latter and he explained his delight on joining the Mariners.

"Every footballer has a wish of playing in Kolkata. Similarly, I also always wanted to play in a big club like Mohun Bagan. I feel an Indian footballer's journey is incomplete if he does not play in Kolkata. I am really looking forward to be playing in front of a capacity crowd, full of Mohun Bagan supporters,” Balwant told the club’s official website.

One big factor behind Balwant’s decision to join Mohun Bagan was the presence of technical director Subhash Bhowmick, under whom the former JCT player had his best-ever campaign last season.

"He is a very successful coach in Indian football and since I have already played under him last season, it will be easier for me to adjust with his game planning. Right now, I will have to join the training as soon as possible and work hard to secure my place in the first team,” he said.

For the first time in his career Balwant will be under pressure to perform because of the green-and-maroon brigade’s enormous fanbase and he would be expected to end the club’s four-year trophy drought. The India forward is looking forward to the challenge.

"We will have to work as a team under Subhash Bhowmick and will try our best to help Mohun Bagan win a trophy this year. I will give my best for the club and will definitely try to make the fans happy by bringing success to the club,” he concluded.