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On September 9, Mohammedan SC advanced to the semi-finals of the Durand Cup by defeating the ISL club Kerala Blasters FC. This was a great moment for one of the oldest clubs in India.
Chima Okorie, Majid Bishkar, Josimer, Tolgay Ozbey, and many other reputed foreigners have donned black and white jerseys. But it has not been an easy journey for the club.
From 1981, they started declining and were relegated to the 2nd division I-League. The financial troubles and corruption in Mohammedan management caused further damage. But in 2020, Dipak Kumar Singh came out as a messiah and invested heavily into the club to bring back lost glory.
Sk Wasim Akram - the man who transformed Mohammedan SC
Sk Wasim Akram was elected as the general secretary of Mohammedan SC in 2020. He is known on the Bengal football circuit for his outstanding administrative skills. He was instrumental in bringing Bunkerhill as an investor in the Mohammedan Club.
Unlike two other legacy clubs, they were successful in entering into an equal partnership deal with investors. It was a huge success for the club management. His excellent recruitment and scouting helped Mohammedan win I-League qualifiers.
Dipendu Biswas - the man who helped in building a formidable team
Mohammedan won 2020 I-League qualifiers under Yan Law. As a result, they got promoted to the I-League. Spanish coach Jose Hevia was appointed as the coach for the I-League 2021-22 season.
They also roped in reputed players like Priyant Singh, Kingsley, Mohammed Fatau, Wayne Vaz, Jamal Bhuyan and many others. But Jose Hevia failed to give them a promising start. He was sacked in the midst of the season and Shankarlal Chakraborty was appointed as their head coach.
They also roped in Pedro Manzi for better scoring opportunities. They finished in the sixth position. Next season, Dipendu Biswas brought in Andrey Chernyshov as their head coach. He also brought top European players like Nikola Stojanovic and Ismar Tandir to the club.
Popular Trinidad and Tobago striker Marcus Joseph was signed by them. They looked like a completely transformed squad in I-League 2021-22. The club narrowly missed the title, but their gameplay impressed the audience.
They were also the finalists in the Durand Cup and won the Calcutta Football league last season.
Mohammedan SC among the favourites to win I-League in 2022-23
Mohammedan SC has shown a lot of promise during the Durand Cup. They have already topped the group stage and thrashed KBFC in the quarter-finals to reach the semi-finals.
They have already roped in former Red Star Belgrade player Abiola Dauda. They have also signed top-notch foreigners like Nuruddin and Ousmane N'Diaye. With such an excellent addition, they are looking strong in every position on the field.
Talks are also on with several European clubs regarding a possible tie-up. The club, which was once battling relegation, is currently transformed into a championship team.
They have experienced players in each and every position which gives them an additional advantage over other clubs. It is to be expected that very soon Mohammedan will play in the ISL and get back to their lost glory.
