Monoranjan Bhattacharya

Monoranjan Bhattacharya, nicknamed Mona, born at Kolkata, India is an Indian Football international player and a club level Coach and Manager.[1] During his playing career he represented the "Big Two" of Kolkata football, East Bengal Club[2] and Mohun Bagan AC. He also represented India in various international tournaments from 1978 till 1989. He was possibly the greatest Indian stopper back to have played in India. Foreigners who played against him have said he was physically strong, was good in aerial tussles and a very clean tackler. East Bengal supporters worship him.[3] Legendary football coach Amal Dutta was influential nurturing talents including Bhattacharya.[4][5]

Not to be confused with Manoranjan Bhattacharya.

Monoranjan Bhattacharya
Personal information
Full name Monoranjan Bhattacharya
Place of birth Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1991 East Bengal Club ? (?)
1991–1992 Mohun Bagan ? (?)
1993 East Bengal Club ? (?)
National team‡
1978–1989 India ? (?)
Teams managed
1996–1998 East Bengal Club
2000–2001 East Bengal Club
2008 East Bengal Club
2018 Tollygunge Agragami F.C.
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 28 April 2008
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 28 April 2008

Club career

Monoranjan joined East Bengal Club in 1977 and created a club record for continuously representing the club in a period spanning 14 years.[3] He was one of the most successful defenders of his time and was known for his strong and skillful game. He captained the club in 1981 season. At the end of 1990-91 season he left East Bengal Club to join their arch-rival Mohun Bagan AC. After spending a couple of seasons with Mohun Bagan, Monoranjan returned to East Bengal in 1993 for his last season as a player.

International career

Monoranjan was a regular for Indian national football team between 1978 and 1989 and represented India in various football tournaments within the period.[3]

Coaching career

Monoranjan is a qualified AFC Coach. He was the coach of East Bengal Club from 1996 to 1998 and again for the period of 2000–2001.[3] Under his coaching, the club won its first National Football League title in 2000–2001. Due to East Bengal FC's poor showing in the inaugural 2007–08 I-League, their coach Subrata Bhattacharya resigned and Monoranjan became the coach of East Bengal for the third time.[6] He guided the club hanging in the relegation zone to a sixth-place finish in the I-League.[7][8] After the league ended, he decided not continue in the post citing prior family engagements.[9][10]

In 2008, he was appointed head coach of DSA Senior Division side Hindustan FC for a season.[11]

References
  1. Manoranjan Bhattacharjee
  2. "THROWBACK: When East Bengal FC became the Champions of Central Asia!". BADGEB. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  3. East Bengal Football Club - Famous Players Archived 1 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Bhattacharya, Rupayan (21 July 2016). "অমল আলোর কমল বনে [Amal Dutta and his days in Indian football]". eisamay.com (in Bengali). Ei Samay. Archived from the original on 11 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  5. Bhattacharya, Nilesh (23 July 2016). "Diamond Touch". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. The Times of India. Archived from the original on 15 October 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  6. Monoranjan is new East Bengal coach
  7. The Hindu News Update Service
  8. I-LEAGUE - The Home of India's Premier Football League
  9. East Bengal Football Club - News in Detail Archived 2 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  10. "CFL 2018: Bimal Ghosh replaces Manoranjan Bhattacharya as Tollygunge Agragami coach". Goal. 25 August 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  11. "Delhi calling: Manoranjan all set to coach Hindustan Football Club". Indian Express. 10 October 2008. Archived from the original on 1 December 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
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