The roller coaster that is Shillong Lajong Football Club

The team known as Shillong Lajong has been making waves around the North-East for being the only team from the region to have qualified for the prestigious I-League. This is the team’s second season in the League, under a new coach, Pradhyum Reddy.

Looking back at the season so far, it’s safe to say that the team has lost focus, looks jaded and totally out of place in the field. The new player signings have not worked, with the exception of John Menyongar. Australian Matthew Mayora, of late, has become more of a liability to the team with his inability to convert even the easiest of goals. The far-off Shillong, known as Lajong’s fortress, has now turned into a happy hunting ground for opposing teams,with the likes of Prayag United pumping in five goals following a 6-goal massacre by Bengal giants Mohun Bagan in Kolkata.

A proper analysis of the team will reveal that Lajong’s weakest links are its defence and attack. The midfield seems somewhat stable, with Menyongar and Eugeneson Lyngdoh dictating play. But the defence really needs a face lift. Samuel, Subhash, Romenjit and Ronald seem clueless when faced with a strong opposition forward line. The beacon of light in this is, of course, Wailadmi Passah. The local lad has really been a stronghold in defence and his presence in the team has been the difference between a mammoth goal margin and a clean sheet.

Coming to the midfield, too much load is placed upon the shoulders of John Menyongar. The former Liberia skipper truly has created some of the best moments of the club’s I-League expedition, but a lone playmaker without the support of the strikers cannot turn the fortunes of a team single-handedly. That has been the case, and Menyongar needs someone to complement his play. Other midfield players like Chitrasen, Joy Kharaswai, Boithang and Eugeneson must contribute more, especially in central midfield. They should have a customised approach to ball play and possession. As it stands now, nothing can be weighed about Lajong’s style of playing. The wing play is erratic, feeble and shows a lack of co-ordination between the attacking fullbacks and wingers.

But the most worrying factor is the attacking line-up of Lajong. On paper, it looks like a star-studded line-up. On the pitch, however, it is a different ball game. Mayora, Tuboi and Sushil have not been able to translate chances into goals. Renedy Singh has been used sparingly by Reddy after joining the team, and does not seem to be a part of Reddy’s scheme of things.

The million dollar question, however, is this – should the coach be blamed? And the answer to the question is a telling “Yes”.

Ever since Reddy took over, the team has undergone a huge change. A roller coaster ride of sorts, with some positive and some negative changes taking place. But Lajong, under his guidance, seems like a unit without its General, with no one to look up to. The coach, for his part, did try to ring in a more “total” football outlook, but the fact that his players have failed to execute his strategies tell a different story.

With the season coming to a close, Shillong Lajong will thank their stars for not having to worry about relegation, as their closest rivals in the table (Chirag, Mumbai, HAL) are not doing great themselves. But going into the next season, the Shillong team must bring about a change in 1. leadership (coach), 2. quality (sell off useless players, sign more lucrative ones) and 3. belief.

Should they fail to do this, the future seems bleak for Lajong. Their destiny is in their hands alone.