By Nilanjan Datta
AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: It was under Trevor Morgan that Kingfisher East Bengal last won the Federation Cup. With Morgan back at the helm the fans are expecting another Midas Touch from the British Coach. A day prior to KEB’s first Hero Federation Cup match, Morgan spoke at length to www.the-aiff.com about his comeback, his present squad, his targets, the format and much more.

EXCERPTS:

How’s the feeling to be back at the helm at the Club where you achieved so much?

(Smiles). It just feels like that I had taken a short break. Yeah, on the surface it has been three years since I was last here but I am familiar with some of the Players from my previous stint. I have also worked with majority of them in the Hero Indian Super League. Kolkata seems a familiar place.

What prompted you to take up the offer?

It was the right thing to do at the right time. It just fell to me and I felt this is the right thing to do.

How do you assess the current squad?

I haven’t had the opportunity to see other Players as we were working for Hero I-League matches. But we have got depth in the squad and some of the young Players are very promising. But at the same time, it’s difficult to have 28 Players training on the pitch at the same time.

I am observing what they can do and makes them tick and learning at the same time as well.

How difficult is it for the Coach who inherits a squad?

It depends. In my first season with East Bengal we had the pre-season and that made a huge difference. It gives you the opportunity to decide on your system you want to play while instilling the self-belief among them.

But that’s the way it is all over the World. Managers come and go and you have to work with what you have got.

It’s understandable that your immediate target is to win the Hero Federation Cup. How realistic is that?

My immediate target is to win the next match against Shillong Lajong FC. I have already been asked probably a million times about the prospect of playing Mohun Bagan in the semis. As a Coach you need to focus on your next match.

Not to forget that we are playing Shillong Lajong FC and they have just beaten us. The game is fresh in our memories and it won’t be an easy game at all. Lajong are good at certain aspects and we need to stop them.

Your view on the home and away format of the Hero Federation Cup.

It’s just like another League match where Teams would have to travel to other venues only to play at Home. The strategy will be simple – I think most of the Teams would look not to get beaten away and make the most at Home.

The last time you were with Kingfisher East Bengal, you had won the Federation Cup…

Wonderful memories! It was a fantastic game against Dempo SC in the Final and we won 3-2 in the extra time in Siliguri. It was a tough game and at the end of the day, we finished on top. It was a reward for the Players for all the hard work they put in.