'East Bengal lack aggression and intensity': Coach Oscar Bruzon

Oscar Bruzon arrived in Kolkata on Saturday morning, but there was no time for the Spanish coach to settle in. He was immediately thrust into East Bengal's high-stakes clash against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.

Unfortunately, the start of his journey with the Kolkata club was less than ideal, as a lifeless East Bengal side fell 0-2 to Mohun Bagan.

After the match, club official Debabrata Sarkar was seen engaged in a discussion with Bruzon and Bino George, who had been overseeing the team since the sacking of former head coach Carles Cuadrat.

This defeat marked East Bengal's fifth consecutive loss this season. On his first day in charge, Bruzon, who previously coached Sporting Clube de Goa and Mumbai FC, took on the role of an observer rather than a tactician, needing to assess his team's situation.

At the post-match press conference, Bruzon acknowledged the team's struggles and sought time to understand and address the underlying issues. “We are in the observation period. I deserve some time to observe and tackle things that are not working well,” he said.

"Our team lack aggression and intensity, and we are making errors during the build-up. Mohun Bagan SG were the better side in many aspects, especially in terms of physicality," Bruzon added.

"We have talented players - some of them even represent the Indian national team - but we need to work on intensity. Otherwise, scoring 5-6 goals every game is impossible. We’ve conceded 11 goals in five games, and that's the first thing we need to fix," he said further.

Bruzon optimistic about first-half finish

Despite the poor start, Bruzon remains optimistic about the future. "We can absolutely finish in the top six. Right now, our season is a failure - we are not hiding from that. The club's target was to finish in the top three, and I have full faith in the team. There are things we want to improve, and with some time, I’m sure things will get better."

Bruzon emphasized the importance of mental preparation and noted that the upcoming break after the AFC Challenge Cup will allow the team to regroup. "We need to do a lot of mental work. We need to find solutions. After the AFC Challenge Cup, we will have 15 days of preparation, and then you will see the real East Bengal FC."

East Bengal will play Paro FC on October 26, before facing Bashundhara Kings on October 29 and Nejmeh SC on November 1.

The Spaniard is also determined to help East Bengal make a mark in continental competition. "We aim to progress in the AFC Cup. Indian teams have always advanced to the next stages in this competition, and our goal is to be in the final stages by March."

Bruzon's next challenge will be East Bengal's home game against Odisha FC on Tuesday.