#5 Jose Molina making his presence felt
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When Antonio Habas left for Pune at the end of last season, eyes were firmly on Atletico de Kolkata regarding where they will go next in terms of managerial appointment. When the Kolkata outfit announced the name of ex-Atletico Madrid and Spanish national team keeper Jose Molina as their new coach, the 46-year-old knew that he was stepping into some big shoes which needed filling.
Since coming into being two years back, ATK has been one of the most consistent franchises in the Indian Super League – winning the inaugural edition and exiting last year’s competition at the semi-finals stage.
Molina has tried hard to avert the past; especially in the press conferences and has been trying to build the team in his own image. And two games into the season, we can probably say that he has been able to do exactly that.
The build up seems more crisp, and the attacks more direct than what we have come to expect from Kolkata. The Spaniard had promised us aggressive football both with and without the ball and after 180 minutes of action, he seems to have firmly lived up to his word.
The 2014 champions have been a treat to watch going forward with swift ball movement accompanied by sumptuous play in both the wings as well as the middle of the field. The back five, which consists of four Indian names should also come in for praise. They are yet to concede a goal which can be labelled as a ‘defensive error’.
Molina came with an impressive CV having won the treble last year in Hong Kong with Kitchee and has truly made a mark in the initial stages. If injuries, stay out of the equation, it won’t be a surprise if Kolkata makes the last four this season around as well.
