Mohun Bagan's Jose Molina outlines difficulties in rotating squad with full fit squad in ISL

Mohun Bagan thrashed Hyderabad FC at home in a one-sided game.

Jose Molina’s Mohun Bagan kicked off their 2025 in an impressive fashion with their 3-0 thrashing of Hyderabad FC in front of a jam-packed Salt Lake Stadium (Kolkata) in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Thursday (2 January).

Tom Aldred, Jason Cummings, and Stefan Sapic (own goal) helped the Mariners get a big win and extend their lead on top of the table.

Jose Molina was a pleased man by seeing his side get a win and was asked how tough it’s become for him to pick his best XI when having his entire squad fully fit, as he stated: “It’s easy to choose the first XI when all players are ready. I’m sure that any decision I make would be good when I pick a first XI. It’s great to have all my players at my best, that is good for my team. We must understand that we are Mohun Bagan with great players in every position.

“Not all of them can play in every match and not can be in the first XI. Sahal Abdul Samad came and he played well, Manvir Singh came on and helped the team for a bit and that made me proud of them. We have to keep working in the same way as we cannot be different. It’s part of my job to help them, be ready to play and help the team at any moment.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s five minutes or 90 minutes, they have to be ready and that makes my job easier to have that kind of players available is good for me as a manager. In every team I coach from the beginning, I aim to have a really good dressing, make them enjoy every day and ensure they respect each other. I aim to make them respect themselves as teammates. That is the beginning of everything, the respect between all of us,” Jose Molina also added.

Mohun Bagan to play East Bengal outside Kolkata

The Mariners are set to face off rivals East Bengal in the second Kolkata Derby of the 2024-25 ISL campaign on 11 January. But the game is likely to be shifted outside of Kolkata. When asked about if his side will miss the home support for that clash if it’s held outside Kolkata, the gaffer stated: “Of course, we’d like to play the derby here. Even the crowd for the first derby of the season was great and hopefully, we’d like to have that for the second one. It seems that won’t be possible, so let’s see what decision the ISL takes.

“As a coach, I can only see when the Mohun Bagan management sees where the match will be on the 11th. We’ll miss our home fans, I hope some can travel to support wherever it happens. The most important thing will be to have a good match, to win and to make our fans happy again,” Jose Molina also added.

The gaffer also spoke on what his side needs to improve upon before the derby, stating: “In my mind, it’s always about trying to improve everything. Help players to improve themselves as players and also improve themselves as a team. In attack and transitions as well, we are a really good team but we are not perfect.

“If we’re not perfect, that means we have room for improvement in every area. Part of my job is to try to create and improve everything and try to improve everything. When it comes to improving certain areas, it’s about improving everything,” he finished off with.

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