On the rise of Diamond Harbor and travel to the fourth giant of Indian Football

Diamond Harbor FC seems to be barely three years after its existence, it seems to have achieved a lot. In a city that is generally busy with the legacy of its big three clubs – Mohun Bagan, Eastern Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting – Diamond Harbor FC is rapidly coming up as the fourth alternative in the rich football firms of Kolkata. The club was admitted to birth on 15 April 2022 on the Bengalian New Year’s Day on April 15, 2022 and made a rapid transition to the top division of the Calcutta Football League before he turned his ambitions to reach a national footprint.

That happened mid-April this year when it achieved the I-League 2-crown to secure a berth in next year’s i-League, a milestone that could reach very few clubs in such a short time. The club already looks in a place in the top League of the country, the Indian Super League, which is now only one step away. A title in the I-League will continue to the constellation of the elites of Indian football (if the AIFF continues to follow the AFC route map).

That is currently the goal that the club is working on. «Within a few years we hope to be eligible for the Premier A or B (from the Calcutta Football League). We are confident to reach larger heights within four years. If necessary, we will also make a trip in ISL,» is the message of the most important patron Banerjee that the visitor goes to the club’s website. Those words were spoken during the inauguration of the club by Abhishek, who is the national secretary -general of the Trinamool Congress and the ‘inspiration’ behind the foundation of the club.

“The Diamond Harbor MP Cup -football tournament was started in 2017 by our Chief Patron, who loves the game. It was a success of the night and brought all the people in Diamond Harbor as one to support the sport. After seeing this love and passion for football, Mr. Banerjee was a few years old. To grab, the constituency that he has elected as a member of parliament, «says Akash Banerjee, vice-president DHFC and the man responsible for the club’s run.

There is perhaps a political undertone in the creation of the club because of the involvement of a prominent politician from the state, but the team is for everyone, regardless of regional, religious or political preferences, is the secretary of the club, Manas Bhattacharya. The former India International and Mohun Bagan midfield icon, Bhattacharya has been drawn up to contain the knowledge base associated with its long association with football at the highest level. “The club was conceived with the idea of offering the right platform for excellence to the young players inside and outside the state. Everything was done with an open mind to facilitate the improvement of the infrastructure in the state. There was no scope for any restriction that could bring the bottom of the club.

The rapid rise in the club is the result of a professional approach in managing its affairs. «Every aspect of club management is in the hands of professionals. This can be measured by the decision to have a very successful Kibu Vicuna as head coach. The Spanish coach has a good understanding of Indian football, because he had protected the I-League title for Mohun Bagan barely a few years ago,» Btrattracharyya said.

«The team started to perform pretty well from the start when we reached the top layer of the local competition (CFL Premier Division) after we finished second in the first division, where we started our journey. Then we did well in the I-League 3 and went a step further to become the I-League 2 champion, while we were added».

A football club requires a special fan base to ensure the survival, and Diamond Harbor FC already collects a lot of support from the population in the port city on the southern edge of the state from which the club gets its name. «The Legacy clubs such as East Bengal or Mohun Bagan have a huge support base for more than a century. We are working together with about three hundred clubs in the Diamond Harbor region to build a lasting impact in the hearts of our fans at home. And now, by winning championships, Ak,» says Akash. «

Maintaining the momentum will be the biggest challenge when it starts the more difficult task of excel in the i-League. «This is our fourth season in football. In the past three seasons we have achieved really well with a very high success rate. Now the competition becomes really difficult, because you have to play on different surfaces and in different weather conditions against opponents who are quite capable. The challenge will be greater. The challenge will be greater, but we are prepared for this, Vicuna says.» Says Vicuna. » «It is now important for us to prepare a good game model by getting the right balance between the foreign and Indian players,» he added.

Vicuna says that the experience of helping Mohun Bagan to the i-League title will certainly count, but this is a new assignment that offers new challenges. «We are a very exciting side and we will try to play the right version of football to get good results, just like we have done so far,» he said.

Climbing the Succesladder means an increasing level of investment in terms of money and resources. In a situation where the old clubs such as East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting have difficulty drawing enough money to create a competitive side according to the requirements of the ISL, how does DHFC intend to take on this challenge?

“Most of our sponsors have been supporting us since the formation of the club. We are all grateful. The success of the club has also brought in many more names that are ready to support us. We are currently focused on the current calendar year, but when the time comes, we are sure that our sponsors will support in a larger way.