Indian Football: Mohun Bagan unveil Kibu Vicuna as their new head coach

I-League club Mohun Bagan have appointed Jose Antonio Vicuna Ochandorena – popularly known as Kibu Vicuna – as their coach for the next season. He is joining from Polish first division club Wisla Plock, who are currently in the 14th position of the table and are facing a relegation battle.

The announcement came on Friday in a unique way. The Green and Maroon posted a video on their official YouTube channel, where the name of the coach was announced by Alexa (virtual assistant developed by Amazon). The Spaniard replaces Khalid Jamil as the coach.

Surprisingly, Vicuna was not in the shortlist of five coaches that was released last week. Former Gokulam Kerala coach Fernando Valera emerged as the front-runner to take the position of Head Coach, while former Bengaluru FC and ATK coach Ashley Westwood was also in the fray. Some club officials wanted to give the job to Westwood, who has enough experience of coaching in India.

But it is seems the team management changed their mind in the last moment and zeroed in on Vicuna, who has never set his foot in the country.

Vicuna spent most of his career as an assistant coach to different Polish teams. But he has worked with some of the great names like former Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui, Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone and Leeds United coach Marcelo Bielsa.

The 47-year-old Spaniard was never a good football player. He hasn’t played beyond the university level. But coaching was in his blood. At the age of 16, he started training children of his locality, along with his studies.

He played for Navarra University team and after completing his graduation, he took up coaching, only 25 then. He completed the UEFA Pro licence in 2002 and took the opportunity to work with the junior team of Osasuna.

Working with Osasuna’s junior team, he had identified some young talents, who have gone on to make a name for themselves in future. Chelsea player Cesar Azpilicueta, Bayern Munich midfielder Javi Martinez, Athletic Bilbao player Raul Garcia and Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal are some of the wards of Vicuna, who is still in touch with his players.

Vicuna went on to became the assistant coach of Legia Warsaw, Lubin Basin, Osasuna, Lech Poznan and Slask Wroclaw before taking the charge of Lithuanian club FK Riteriai. He was roped in as the head coach of Wisla Plock last year.

Having closely watched some of the best coaches of the world, Vicuna training sessions are often very intense. He likes to dynamic and attacking football, where every player should play with commitment and give their best. He likes to explain what he does and why. Vicuna is a coach who doesn’t like to talk nonsense and always speaks his mind.

East Bengal have already earned success last season after appointing former Real Madrid Castilla coach Alejandro Menendez. The Spaniard has extended his contract for two more years. After one year, Mohun Bagan followed the path of their arch-rivals.

So, when the two teams meet next season in the Kolkata Derby, the battle between two Spanish heads in the dugout will be keenly watched.