Monoranjan Bhattacharya Explained

Monoranjan Bhattacharya
Fullname:Monoranjan Bhattacharya
Birth Place:Calcutta, West Bengal, India
Position:Defender
Clubs1:George Telegraph
Years2:1977–1986
Clubs2:East Bengal Club
Caps2:?
Goals2:?
Years3:1986
Clubs3:Abahani Krira Chakra
Caps3:1
Goals3:0
Years4:1986–1991
Clubs4:East Bengal Club
Caps4:?
Goals4:?
Years5:1991–1992
Clubs5:Mohun Bagan
Caps5:?
Goals5:?
Years6:1993
Clubs6:East Bengal Club
Caps6:?
Goals6:?
Nationalyears1:1978–1989
Nationalteam1:India
Nationalcaps1:?
Nationalgoals1:?
Manageryears1:1996–1998
Managerclubs1:East Bengal Club
Manageryears2:2000–2001
Managerclubs2:East Bengal Club
Manageryears3:2008
Managerclubs3:East Bengal Club
Manageryears4:2008–2009
Managerclubs4:Hindustan
Manageryears5:2018
Managerclubs5:Tollygunge Agragami
Ntupdate:28 April 2008
Pcupdate:28 April 2008

Monoranjan Bhattacharya, nicknamed Mona, is a retired Indian professional footballer and football manager.[1] During his playing career, he represented the "Big Two" of Kolkata football, East Bengal[2] and Mohun Bagan. He also represented India in various international tournaments between 1978 and 1989.

He was one of the finest Indian stopper-back during his time in Indian football. Foreigners who played against him have said he was physically strong, was good in aerial tussles and a very clean tackler. East Bengal supporters worship him.[3] Legendary football coach Amal Dutta was influential nurturing talents including Bhattacharya.[4] [5] [6] [7]

Club career

Bhattacharya appeared with Calcutta Football League club George Telegraph,[8] before joining East Bengal Club in 1977. With the "red and gold brigade", he created a club record for continuously representing the club in a period spanning fourteen years.[3] He was one of the most successful defenders of his time and was known for his strong and skillful game. He captained the club in 1981–82 season.[9] [10] [11] In 1985, he won Federation Cup with the club and went on to represent his team at the 1985–86 Asian Club Championship in Saudi Arabia.[12] Managed by legendary P. K. Banerjee,[13] [14] [15] his team played in the Central Asia Zone (tournament named "Coca-Cola Cup"), where they defeated numerous foreign clubs to win it. They defeated New Road Team of Nepal 7–0, Abahani Krira Chakra of Bangladesh 1–0, thrashed Club Valencia of the Maldives 9–0 (the biggest margin of victory by an Indian team over any foreign opponents).[16]

In the 1980s, Bhattacharya as stopper-back and Bhaskar Ganguly as goalkeeper, made East Bengal defense unbreakable.[17] In 1986, he along with Bhaskar Ganguly signed with Bangladeshi club Abahani Krira Chakra for a crucial Dhaka Derby match to decide the Dhaka League champions, and became one of the few Indian players who plied their trades abroad.[18] [19] [20] [21] However, after suffering a 2–0 defeat, both players returned to East Bengal. At the end of 1990–91 season, he left East Bengal to join their arch-rival Mohun Bagan AC. After spending a couple of seasons with Mohun Bagan, Monoranjan returned to East Bengal in 1993 for his last season as a player.

International career

Monoranjan was a regular for India national football team between 1978 and 1989 and competed football tournaments within the period.[3] He is praised for his performance against Argentina in 1984 Nehru Cup,[3] where India was narrowly defeated by 1–0 with the goal from Ricardo Gareca.

Coaching career

Monoranjan is a qualified AFC coach who managed East Bengal Club from 1996 to 1998 and again in the season of 2000–01.[3] Under his coaching, the club won its first National Football League title in 2000–01.[3] In that season, they won Federation Cup.[3] Due to East Bengal FC's poor showing in the inaugural 2007–08 I-League, their coach Subrata Bhattacharya resigned and Monoranjan became the coach of East Bengal for the third time.[22] He guided the club hanging in the relegation zone to a sixth-place finish in the I-League.[23] [24] After the league ended, he decided not continue in the post citing prior family engagements.[25] [26]

In 2008, he was appointed head coach of DSA Senior Division side Hindustan FC for a season.[27]

In 2018, Bhattacharya was appointed head coach of CFL Premier Division side Tollygunge Agragami.[28] [29] [30]

Career statistics

Managerial

TeamFromToRecord
GWDLGFGAGDWin %
East Bengal1 April 1996algin=left31 March 1999
13 January 2001algin=left24 January 2002
16 January 2008algin=left19 February 2008
1 July 2008algin=left15 September 2008
Total

Honours

Player

East Bengal

1978–79, 1980–81, 1985

1984, 1986, 1990, 1991

1989, 1990, 1991, 1993

1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993

1990

1987, 1988, 1990

1985

1986

India

Individual

Manager

East Bengal

1996

2000–01[33] [34]

See also

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Manoranjan Bhattacharjee . IndianFootball.com . 28 April 2008 . 19 November 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081119084927/http://www.indianfootball.com/data/halloffame/bhattacharjee_manoranjan.html .
  2. Web site: THROWBACK: When East Bengal FC became the Champions of Central Asia!. BADGEB. 1 October 2020. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20201023055529/https://www.badgeb.com/throwback-when-east-bengal-fc-became-the-champions-of-central-asia/. 23 October 2020.
  3. Web site: Gautam. Roy. Swapan. Ball. 2007. East Bengal Football Club – Famous Players. 25 February 2009. www.eastbengalfootballclub.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20090901194505/http://www.eastbengalfootballclub.com/club/famousPlayers5.asp. 1 September 2009.
  4. Web site: অমল আলোর কমল বনে [Amal Dutta and his days in Indian football]]. eisamay.com. Ei Samay. 21 July 2016. 11 April 2022. Rupayan. Bhattacharya. 11 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220411130100/https://eisamay.com/sports/football/news/-/articleshow/53318102.cms. bn.
  5. Web site: Bhattacharya. Nilesh. Diamond Touch. timesofindia.indiatimes.com. The Times of India. 4 February 2017. 23 July 2016. 15 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161015230348/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Diamond-Touch/articleshow/53346818.cms.
  6. Web site: Atanu. Mitra. 12 July 2016. Amal Dutta (1930-2016): the Indian football coach whom players swore by and swore at. Scroll. 10 September 2021. 15 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201015154246/https://scroll.in/field/811601/amal-dutta-1930-2016-the-indian-football-coach-whom-players-swore-by-and-swore-at.
  7. Web site: Akshat. Singhal. 27 August 2020. Amal Dutta: The Tactical Genius. The Turf Football. 10 September 2021. 10 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210710140823/https://www.theturffootball.com/articles/amal-dutta-the-tactical-genius/.
  8. Web site: ফুটবলার তুলে আনতে জেলামুখী জর্জ টেলিগ্রাফ স্পোর্টস ক্লাব. insidesports.in. Inside Sports Bengali. bn. District oriented George Telegraph Sports Club to pick up footballers. Kolkata. 18 July 2021. 22 October 2022. 22 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221022070623/https://insidesports.in/archives/1892.
  9. Web site: Kolkatafootball.com :East Bengal League History: Indian Football Capital's News. kolkatafootball.com. 2019-02-11. 12 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011211/https://www.kolkatafootball.com/capeb.htm.
  10. Web site: East Bengal FC » Historical squads. worldfootball.net. 2019-02-11. 12 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011647/https://www.worldfootball.net/teams/east-bengal-fc/20/.
  11. Web site: East Bengal Club — The Official Site of East Bengal Club. eastbengalclub.co.in. 2019-02-11. 8 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191108213722/http://eastbengalclub.co.in/teamarchives.html.
  12. Web site: Novy. Kapadia. 7 October 2012. East Bengal's Federation Cup successes. www.sportskeeda.com. Sportskeeda. 29 June 2021. 27 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210627184705/https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/east-bengals-federation-cup-successes.
  13. Web site: Team. Sportstar. 1 August 2020. 100 years of East Bengal: A timeline. Sportstar. 1 July 2021. 29 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210629224925/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/magazine/east-bengal-100-years-indian-football-ifa-shield-cfl-calcutta-football-league-mohun-bagan-kolkata-derby/article32241569.ece.
  14. Web site: The World Sports Today. 1 August 2020. 100 years of East Bengal: A timeline of Kolkata giant's key milestones. The World Sports Today. 29 June 2021. 27 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210627161358/https://theworldsportstoday.com/100-years-of-east-bengal-a-timeline-of-kolkata-giants-key-milestones/. live.
  15. Web site: Amitabha. Das Sharma. 20 March 2020. Obit: The incomparable P. K. of Indian football. Sportstar. 29 June 2021. 25 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201025224253/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/magazine/pk-banerjee-death-mohun-bagan-east-bengal-indian-football-career-olympics-rome-1960-melbourne-1956/article31097881.ece.
  16. Web site: Soham. Mukherjee. 1 April 2020. How have Indian clubs fared in AFC Champions League and AFC Cup?. Goal.com. 1 July 2021. 15 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210415045019/https://www.goal.com/en-in/news/india-clubs-in-afc-champions-league-afc-cup/3dj1qowtkdxc1pzji71c49vnz.
  17. Web site: The Sunday Guardian. No mechanism for nurturing talent. 19 September 2015. 29 January 2016. 19 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160119200536/http://www.sunday-guardian.com/sports/no-mechanism-for-nurturing-talent.
  18. Web site: ফুটবলার রণজিৎ সাহার আশির দশক. bn. The 1980s of legendary footballer Ranajit Saha. দৈনিক. জনকণ্ঠ. dailyjanakantha.com (Daily Janakantha). 29 January 2023. 29 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230129061321/https://www.dailyjanakantha.com/sports/news/289522.
  19. Web site: ঢাকার মাঠ মাতানো বিদেশি ফুটবলাররা. Those iconic foreign players during the golden days in Dhaka football. bn. 16 February 2023. 7 June 2023. Saifur Rahaman. Tuhin. Eye News Bangladesh. Dhaka. https://web.archive.org/web/20230607152838/https://www.eyenews.news/feature/news/51954. 7 June 2023.
  20. Web site: পদ্মার ঢেউ ও'রে,মোর শূণ্য হৃদয় পদ্ম নিয়ে যা, যা..রে. The waves of river Padma, my empty heart take the lotus. bn. 1 October 2020. 7 June 2023. Moharraf. Hossain. Durbin24.com. Dhaka. 17 May 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220517195253/https://doorbin24.com/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%A2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%89-%E0%A6%93%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%82%E0%A6%A3-%CC%88-%E0%A6%B9/.
  21. Web site: 'কোচ বললেন, তোর নাম দিলাম চিতাবাঘ'. 'The coach said, I named you Leopard'. bn. 20 April 2018. 7 June 2023. Saifur Rahaman. Tuhin. kalerkantho.com. Kaler Kontho Bangladesh. Dhaka. 9 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220909151218/https://www.kalerkantho.com/online/sport/2018/04/20/627245.
  22. Web site: Monoranjan is new East Bengal coach. 16 January 2008. Press Trust of India. in.rediff.com. Rediff. 28 April 2008. 25 May 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110525054025/http://in.rediff.com/sports/2008/jan/16eb.htm.
  23. Web site: The Hindu News Update Service . 28 April 2008 . 2 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121102062938/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/007200801161713.htm . live .
  24. Web site: I-LEAGUE - The Home of India's Premier Football League . 28 April 2008 . 17 May 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080517040552/http://www.indianfootball.com/specials/ileague/03_0_standings.php . live .
  25. http://www.eastbengalfootballclub.com/search/index.asp?news_id=464 East Bengal Football Club – News in Detail
  26. Web site: CFL 2018: Bimal Ghosh replaces Manoranjan Bhattacharya as Tollygunge Agragami coach. Goal. 25 August 2018. 16 January 2019. 19 January 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190119120949/https://www.goal.com/en-in/news/bimal-ghosh-replaces-manoranjan-bhattacharya-as-tollygunge/gultfbjaslxn1jyx93dycqv77. live.
  27. Web site: Delhi calling: Manoranjan all set to coach Hindustan Football Club. 10 October 2008. Indian Express. 1 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211201094049/http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/delhi-calling-manoranjan-all-set-to-coach-hindustan-football-club/372040/. 1 December 2021. live.
  28. Tollygunge Agragami have sacked him on Friday, August 24, 2018 after an abysmal start to the 2018/19 Calcutta Premier Division 'A' campaign, which has seen them sitting on the bottom of the log without points from four matches and has also failed to score a single goal in the process. He will be replaced by Bimal Ghosh against Food Corporation of India on Sunday, August 26, 2018.
  29. Web site: CFL 2018: Bimal Ghosh replaces Manoranjan Bhattacharya as Tollygunge Agragami coach . Goal.com . 25 August 2018 . 16 January 2019 . 19 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190119120949/https://www.goal.com/en-in/news/bimal-ghosh-replaces-manoranjan-bhattacharya-as-tollygunge/gultfbjaslxn1jyx93dycqv77 .
  30. News: Match called off after downpour. telegraphindia.com. The Telegraph. Kolkata. 4 August 2018. 9 July 2019. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20190709113047/https://www.telegraphindia.com/sport/match-called-off-after-downpour/cid/1386474. 9 July 2019.
  31. Web site: The World Sports Today. 1 August 2020. 100 years of East Bengal: A timeline of Kolkata giant's key milestones. The World Sports Today. 29 June 2021. 27 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210627161358/https://theworldsportstoday.com/100-years-of-east-bengal-a-timeline-of-kolkata-giants-key-milestones/.
  32. Web site: East Bengal to confer Kapil Dev with Bharat Gaurav award. www.outlookindia.com. Outlook India. 19 December 2019. 19 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191019194701/https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/east-bengal-to-confer-kapil-dev-with-bharat-gaurav-award/1577311.
  33. Web site: PTI. 30 April 2001. Pres Trust of India. East Bengal win National League. Rediff. 29 June 2021. 24 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624221929/https://m.rediff.com/sports/2001/apr/30nfl3.htm.
  34. Web site: The League of foreign coaches. timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Marcus. Mergulhao. The Times of India. TNN. Margao. 29 September 2008. 28 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20240616070718/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/the-league-of-foreign-coaches/articleshow/3537878.cms. 16 June 2024.