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Many East Bengal fans are still reeling under the disappointment of seeing their club miss out on the I-League title once again. Following back-to-back runners-up finishes, the red-and-gold brigade ended the 2012-13 campaign in the third place, their lowest ever finish under Trevor James Morgan.
Unlike in the past, there has been some stability at East Bengal as they kept the same coach and almost the same team for three seasons. Yet I-League success eluded them primarily due to fatigue as the old Kolkata Maidan club’s obsession of winning every trophy under Morgan forced to play almost the same team for nearly 50 matches while Churchill Brothers concentrated entirely on the I-League and eventually won the championship.
But its not all doom and gloom at East Bengal, because on Wednesday they will be hosting Myanmar’s Yangon United in a round of 16 clash of the AFC Cup – Asia’s version of the Europa League. It will be their 57th game of the season, but more importantly, the biggest fixture in their history since 2004.
It was nine years ago that East Bengal played their last AFC Cup knockout match when they faced Syria’s Al Jaish in the quarter-finals. That team under Subhash Bhowmick had become one of the best club teams of South-East Asia by winning the ASEAN Cup in 2003 , and so when the AFC Cup was introduced in 2004, the Kolkata club was expected to give a good account of themselves.
The historic ASEAN Cup success
And so they did, by winning their group and qualifying with a game to spare in the group stage. But unfortunately they were drawn against a West Asian club in the last eight and the gulf in class was exposed as after a goalless first leg in Kolkata; Al Jaish thrashed East Bengal 3-0 in the return leg.
It was a learning experience for East Bengal and they probably would have done better in the next few years had the officials retained the same group of players. But that didn’t happen, and in the 2005 AFC Cup, they were knocked out in the group stage.
Some trouble off the pitch saw Bhowmick resign as coach and following that East Bengal went through a period of transition, and besides a runners-up finish in 2005-06, they under-performed in the national domestic league and didn’t even feature in the AFC Cup until the 2008 edition, where once again, they were eliminated from the group stage.
They were also involved in a relegation battle in the inaugural season of the I-League in 2007-08, but somehow survived, and the mediocrity continued for another two years. Federation Cup success in 2009 saw them qualify for the 2010 AFC Cup but that turned out to be a disastrous campaign as they lost all six of their group matches under Belgian coach Philippe De Ridder.
In truth, East Bengal were not even a major force in their own country for the best part of the period between 2004 and 2010. Then former Hull City development coach Trevor Morgan was appointed in the summer of 2010 and it marked the start of a new and successful era at the 93-year-old club.
The former Bolton and Bristol City striker brought back the glory days at East Bengal by winning three trophies in his first season. Performance in the AFC Cup was mediocre as they managed three home draws in six group matches in the 2011 edition but that wasn’t a surprise as many players were playing in a continental competition for the first time.
Morgan brought back the glory days at East Bengal
Morgan narrowly missed out on the I-League in his first season and that was repeated in the second campaign also but once again he won a couple of trophies. The AFC Cup showing was dismal yet again as they lost all six games but it was always going to be a tough task as all the teams in the group were from West Asia.
After initially falling out with the club officials and resigning, the English coach changed his mind and eventually stayed on for a third season as East Bengal coach and won the Federation Cup to qualify for the 2013 AFC Cup. Despite being winless in two straight AFC Cup campaigns, Morgan and his players learnt their lessons and did their homework and once they were drawn against clubs from South-East Asia, there was always a chance of a good showing.
But East Bengal went on to exceed expectations as they not only ended their winless streak in Asia, but also qualified for the knockout stage as group winners and additionally were unbeaten – the first Indian club to achieve that feat.
Besides the results, East Bengal’s style of play impressed all their opponents, especially their performance away from home. There was a certain maturity in the Kolkata club’s displays, as they defended solidly and destroyed teams on the counter attacks.
After being the whopping boys for two straight seasons, East Bengal are suddenly one of the best club sides from South and South East-Asia and are a win away from reaching the AFC Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2004.
East Bengal are once again a force in India and Asia
Morgan might well be leaving at the end of the season and the inability to deliver the I-League will always be considered a failure in this highly successful tenure. But the Englishman would be able to leave on a massive high if he guides the Kolkata club to the last eight with the quarter-finals not to be played until September.
TJM, as he is referred to by some fans, has not only restored East Bengal’s pride but also re-established them as a force in India and Asia again. But he and his players will know that the job is not done yet as they need to beat Yangon United to match the achievement of the class of 2004.
So a massive game awaits the East Bengal squad and a win would recreate history and may even change the mind of their coach Morgan, who would surely want to be in charge for the quarter-finals and make East Bengal the first Indian club to reach the semis since Dempo. Many East Bengal fans would hope at least.
