ATKMB coach Ferrando eyeing clean sweep in upcoming season

ATK Mohun Bagan, who narrowly missed the Indian Super League title last season, aspires to make a clean sweep of trophies -- AFC Cup, Durand Cup, Super Cup and ISL -- in the upcoming season, coach Juan Ferrando has said. Having missed the Winner's Shield finishing third in the table behind Jamshedpur FC and Hyderabad FC, ATKMB made a last-four finish in the Championship round.

"My dream is to win the AFC Cup, the Durand Cup, the Championship, and the Super Cup," Ferrando said in the ISL website. "We are working our way, preparing the team with a good plan, and this is our target. In my point of view, we have a good team, we have good players but this is the moment to show ourselves.

"We have a great opportunity in August with the Durand Cup. I think the championship in front of us is a great opportunity to try to give our best. Then, you have the Super Cup, so, it's going to be an amazing season."

At International level, they will be in action in the AFC Cup Inter-Zonal semifinal as they have made some interesting signings in the transfer window after the departure of their two key attackers -- Roy Krishna and David Williams.

They have added promising Indian midfielder Ashique Kuruniyan after his exploits in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, while there have been two key foreign acquisitions in Brendan Hamill and Florentin Pogba, the elder brother of French World Cup winner Paul Pogba.

"They have quality, they are very strong players, they can help in our playing style, but it's very important when we have the first meeting to know whether they can help improve ATK Mohun Bagan," Ferrando said. "I''m incredibly excited for the new season because this season is different. But, honestly, the most important thing is the training, the pre-season is very significant and I hope that the players come with a strong personality and with 100 per cent motivation," he added.