MARGAO
Former East Bengal defender Covan Lawrence feels that the entry of the Kolkata club into the seventh edition of Indian Super League is a big boost for the sport in India.
"Mohun Bagan had already entered into the ISL. East Bengal coming into the ISL is fantastic. It's great for the federation that two of the top clubs in India are playing together in the ISL," Lawrence told ‘The Goan’.
With both the teams set to play in the ISL from this season, the supporters can also continue enjoying Kolkata derbies in the national league. Lawrence believes that the focus will return to the oldest derby in India and suggested that the nature of the contest will remain the same regardless of the competition.
"I don't think it (the Kolkata derby in ISL) will be different. The important thing is that East Bengal are playing in the ISL,” Lawrence said.
The player who started his professional career with Salgaocar FC and also played for Mahindra United, Air India, Vasco SC and Dempo Sports Club, acknowledged that his stint at East Bengal (2005-2007) was a good experience.
"It was the time fellow Goans, my brother Climax Lawrence, Bernard Pires, Vincent Pires and Bibiano Fernandes had also come to Kolkata. My (East Bengal) team-mates that time were guys like Bhaichung Bhutia, Alvito D’Cunha, Tushar Rakshit, Sasthi Duley, Dipankar Roy, Gauranga Dutta and Rajatghosh Dastidar among others.
"It was a good experience. When you play in Kolkata, people from all over India recognise you. It was good exposure, I would say," the former Dempo defender said.
He also welcomed the decision of the All Indian Football Federation to reduce the number of foreign players in the Indian Super League (ISL) while expressing concerns over the state of the game in Goa.
“It is a good thing to decrease the numbers of foreign players in the Indian Super League (ISL) to three for the upcoming season. It’s good that AIFF is laying emphasis on home-grown players,” said the former midfielder, who now runs a football academy at Sirvodem.
“If you see across all the I-League and ISL clubs there are hardly any Indian coaches and even the number of Indians as assistant coaches is few. So the AIFF and ISL should be investing in the future by grooming Indian coaches as assistant coaches in the I-League and ISL.
“During my playing days, more teams from Goa were playing in the I-League and there was fierce competition. Goan football is declining,” said the 40-year-old.
