We all know that Kolkata have been crowned in as the champion of the inaugural ISL. Now let us see what just went right for them.
1. Antonio Lopez Habas – Remember the SRK dialogue in Chak De India. – “Ek team main sirf ek hi gunda ho sakta hain aur is team ka gunda main hoin…“ (There can be only one villain in a team and in this team I am that). Antonio Lopez Habas made it sure he was the villain of the team. Not the 
Legendary Luis Garcia, not the star striker Fikru, it was Habas who was the boss of the team. He maintained- “Either it’s my way or it’s the high way…” One of the stalwart of Indian football Subrata Bhattacharya mentioned yesterday that he could not have shown the courage of the ex-Bolivian coach. And here lies the difference. Its takes a real bit of courage to keep the best playmaker of the side in the reserve bench and great deal more if you left out the only genuine striker from the 18 member team due on disciplinary ground and the master did it all.
Injuries hit Kolkata bad and Habas was left with limited resources. And he was criticized for his team picking. Even some of his team selection left everyone dumb-founded and speechless. Some decisions like replacing Garcia with Rakesh Masih were really peculiar. But clever Habas played the whole tournament with calculations and limited risk. They were looking great in the start. But then after Denzil Franco, Climax Lawrence was injured. Even Garcia suffered from bit of fitness issue. Jofre, Borja, Nato faced suspension of few matches due to card. Jofre suffered injury and their reserve bench got into play.
Habas made it sure during this period that even if they might not win many matches during these period they should at least not lose more number of matches and you can see that even if they had 5 straight wins out of 18 matches they played they had minimum number of loses 3 in fact and the match against Kerala in the group they might think they had drawn as well. The shrewd coach made it sure they were among the 4 teams in the semifinal and its same thing as being the first or the fourth team as it will all start from scratch in the semifinal.
During the semifinal Kolkata knew they had no chance with direct fight with Goa who were seemingly the better opponent they made it sure that they didn’t concede any goal at least even if they might not score and they wanted to take it to the shootout and felt it was their best chance. And it was.
During the shootout Goa sent in Santos, Tolgay, Amiri and Carvalo. Santos scored many goals from free kick in the tournament but good free kick takers always tries to hit with more power that had been evident so many times in the past. Even Beckham and Roberto Carlos were such good free kick takers but had failed many times scoring penalty from 6 yard box where it is more about placement than power. Santos was also looking tired too. And he shoot wide and Amiri hit the bar post. Habas kept Edel in the pitch even though he was not fit. And he didn’t save any in the tribraker but he had that physiological edge over the opponent players that they try to do something extra. Even Tolgay is not the best penalty taker around. For I have seen him missing from the spot kick of the six yard box.
On the other hand ADK sent Josemi, the coolest defender I have seen, Rafique, Jofre and Borja all 35 + years players and vastly experience who could keep their nerve in control and scored all and went in to the final.
In the final it was same. Kerala had a superior team and ADK was once again without a genuine striker. But this time they fielded with 2 makeshift-forward Arnal and Rafique. The midfield consisted of Sanju, Podany and Baljit young and active players who could run for the whole 90 minutes. Then it was Borja, as defensive midfielder. Defense consisted the reliable and ever trusted Arnab, Josemi. Josemi played each and every minute of the tournament. Though Kerala were attacking more and in fact should have scored from a Micheal Chopra shot which was miraculously saved once again by Edel just on the last quarter of the match. Habas waited long to made the changes. He had 3 replacements available and common logic will tell you the replacements would have been Cavin Lobo, Garcia and Jofre. It’s strange that you would play the finals without these players who are the best players of your side. But Habas made it sure his team had players who could run throughout the 90 minutes. Knowing that Garcia didn’t have the fitness to play for 120 minutes he kept Garcia to be 
substituted in the extra time. But in a strange decision he substituted Md Rafi with Md Rafique who had played total of only 18 minutes before the finals. After watching Garcia and Lobo warming up it was certain that they would play without Jofre if they had to play in the extra time.
It was strange decision but Habas realized that Mehtab, Hume, Asfaq, Soumik were aged though they are best players in the country with vast experience but they don’t have that stamina to last for another 120 minute after their epic semifinal against Chennai. Soumik Dey was substituted moments before the final whistle. And when everyone was waiting for the extra time Rafique scored from a Podany corner. Habas trick was successful.
2. Kolkata’s defense – Kolkata had Josemi, the ex-Liverpool player who had also won ECL for the Reds. The Spaniard is one of the coolest defender of the game. I have never seen his going for a final tackle, when unsure. Most trusted man of ADK and he has a good companion as Arnab Mondol, the best in the country and who have improved much throughout the ISL. Josemi incidentally was in the pitch every minute ADK took the field. And then you have Borja, the man who had won most number of tackles in the tournament. He was phenomenon in the role of defensive midfielder. And in the end a team with good defensive organization comes at the top. And needless to say Kolkata were very best in this position.
3. Goalkeeping – Both Subhashis Roy chowdhury and Edel Bete were great. Though Subhashish did not have much chance in the later phase of the tournament Bete was outstanding till the last minute. And the last line of Kolkata’s defense was always alert. They in fact conceded least number of goals than the other teams of the tournament.
4. Spanish and Indian dominance – the team had good number of Spaniards as in form of Borja, Garcia, Jofre, Josemi, Arnal even Nato had Spanish connection as well. Also good number of Indian players. It makes it easier with players who know each other or can connect with each other.
5. Luis Garcia – Undoubtedly he was the best marquee player of the tournament. And more importantly he always maintained a low profile. Didn’t try to put on his weight too much.
6. Sourav Ganguly- He is the owner and one of the most loved being of the country. He bought support to his team but didn’t try to bring his thought in the team instead he left it all on the coach a legend who had huge success for Valencia and Bolivia national team Antonio Lopez Habas.
All in all it was great opportunity for Bengal football lovers who are being targeted, bullied and suppressed by all India fans lobby in different social media groups and pages.
Tags: Antonio Lopez Habas Athelitico De Kolkata ISL
