Kolkata: First-timers are something not unnatural with ATK. Not only did the Kolkata based franchise play the first match of the Indian Super League, but also won the inaugural season of the tournament and this year will be one such first times for ATK as the Teddy Sheringham led side will aim for a title, without the Spanish connection.
With two titles in three seasons, ATK are one of the most successful teams in the short history of the ISL and much of it’s credit goes to their foreign connection, Atletico Madrid. It was a master stroke when the La Liga giants joined hands with Sanjiv Goenka and Co. to form a club that will become a formidable side in the league. At a time when most clubs were yet to find its feet, ATK were training at the Vicente Calderón, home of Atletico Madrid.
The fulcrum of the foreign contingent led by coaches Antonio López Habas and José Francisco Molina and captain Borja Fernández in the past two seasons were all Spaniards, sourced by ATM which led them to title glory twice in three seasons.
It is not usual for champions sides to break the winning formula. But times have changed. ATK’s relationship with Atletico Madrid have strained, resulting in the breaking of partnerships.
The change in ownerships have also given away to a change in structure. Moving away from the Spanish mantra that won them the titles in the previous seasons, Manchester United legend Teddy Sheringham has been appointed as the head coach. A thoroughly out and out British, the Champions League winner has imparted his touch to the team, a British model.
“It will be more of a British style because that’s what I know and hopefully that will be good enough for ATK, in our aim for the third title in four years,” Sheringham had said. But it will not be an easy task to maintain such levels as a coach rather than a player.
Talking of levels, it is however nothing new for the 51-year-old who came of the bench to score that famous equaliser in the 1998-99 Champions League final against Bayern Munich and then established his class with an assist that earned Manchester United it’s first ever treble. It has been 19 years since that night at Camp Nou and Sheringham retired a hero.
Legendary as a footballer, Sheringham is however eight months old as a coach and only time will tell if he becomes a great coach. Nonetheless, it will not be an easy task for the former West Ham attacking coach to deliver with an entirely new team.
The defending champions competing for the first time as an independent franchise lost most of it’s core squad from the last two seasons barring goalkeeper Debjit Mazumdar and defender Prabir Das. They did manage to sign a pool of talented Indian players coupled a some young European footballers. Irish legend Robbie Keane was the marquee signing and eventually named the captain.
Injuries to him and former Aizawl stars Ashutosh Mehra and Jayesh Rane has however hampered their title aspirations but given their recurring history, ATK may well be successful in making a smooth transition from a somewhat tiki-taka style to a British model.
The English way of playing football has not been so successful in the cash-rich league so far, but with the strong squad that ATK possesses and given all injured players return early- ‘Amar Team Kolkata’ can surely be a hot favourite contender this season.