~ Head Coach José Molina introduced to India for the first time ~
Head Coach: José Molina
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Squad as on 15.07.16
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Domestic Players
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1.
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Shilton Paul
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2.
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Jewel Raja
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3.
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Pritam Kotal
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4.
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Debjit Majumder
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5.
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Bikramjit Singh
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6.
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Bidyananda Singh Ningthoujam
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7.
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Kingshuk Debnath
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8.
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Arnab Mandal
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9.
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Bikash Jairu
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10.
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Lalrindika Ralte (Dika)
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11.
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Robert Lalthlanumna
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12.
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Prabir Das
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Foreign Players
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1.
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Iain Hume
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2.
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Sameegh Doutie
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3.
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Ofentse Nato
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4.
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Tiri
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5
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Stephen Pearson
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6
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Dani Mallo
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7.
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Pablo José Gallardo Zurera
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Chandigarh, July 15, 2016: The title winner of the inaugural season of the Indian Super League and the semi-finalist of the second edition, Atlético de Kolkata unveiled their official team jersey, a symbol of passion for the red and white fans and announced the start of their preparations for the upcoming third edition in style. The team co-owner Mr. Sanjiv Goenka introduced newly appointed Head Coach José Molina, today and discussed the plans how the team is shaping up for the upcoming season of Indian Super League in 2016. The Atlético de Kolkata management was also represented by other co-owners in Mr. Harshavardhan Neotia and Mr. Utsav Parekh.
Philosophy of the New Team Jersey
This is not just another jersey.
It’s our passion that we wear to the field.
The open wings that emerge from its chest manifest the immensity of our inner drive.
The vast spread of those wings from the core to the shoulders bears testimony to our relentless desire to fly high.
This is no ordinary uniform.
This is the force of a million unified.
The bold red stripes wrapping its body bring alive the fire burning bright within our ignited soul.
This isn’t a random number on a fabric.
This is what our fans see us in. Know us as.
The calming blues and the pristine white on its frame give the world a glimpse of our purity of purpose.
To the world, it may be just a jersey from outside.
To us, it’s who we are, from the inside.
“I take this opportunity to welcome our Head Coach José Molina to Atlético de Kolkata family and believe that he is the right coach for the team. Molina will come with his wealth of technical and managerial experience as a player and coach which will be an asset for the players to learn and imbibe from and the team management to acquire the best possible team for the upcoming season.”
- Mr. Sanjiv Goenka, Chairman RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, Co-owner, Atlético de Kolkata
In building the squad for the upcoming edition of Indian Super League, Atlético de Kolkata has already signed up nineteen dynamic players which is a rich blend of both foreign and domestic players. From the Indian players Atlético de Kolkata will have the services of experienced Arnab Mandal for a third time in the defence and has retained central midfielder Jewel Raja. New additions like Shilton Paul, Debjit Majumder, Pritam Kotal, Bikramjit Singh, Kingshuk Debnath, Bidyananda Singh Ningthoujam, Bikash Jairu, Dika, Robert Lalthlanumna, Bidyananda Singh and Prabir Das, will append to the finesse on the pitch. The team has retained foreign players like Iain Hume, José Luis Espinosa Arroyo (Tiri), Sameehg Doutie and Ofentse Nato from previous season and signed new players like Stephen Pearson, Dani Mallo and Pablo Zurera.
“I am really excited to be part of Indian Super League and want to thank the management of Atlético de Kolkata for this great opportunity. ISL has put Indian Football on the global map and now the talent available here is being talked about in European and Asian countries. My association with Atlético de Madrid had given me some of the most unforgettable moments in my career. Today, when I take charge as the Coach of Atlético de Kolkata I will be carrying forward a legacy and passion of fans. My role as a coach will be to develop the best bonding and understanding between the players who come with diverse background and experiences across the world. I am eager to get started and look forward to the season 3 of the tournament.”
- Mr. José Molina, Head Coach, Atlético de Kolkata
Riding on the success of two seasons, this year also the team will gear up for the third edition of the Indian Super League with a month long training camp in Spain. The training module will be designed to get the footballers in right physical shape to deal with the challenging season. Atlético de Kolkata would be training under Head Coach, José Molina. The team will depart end of August for the training session in Los Angeles de San Rafael training ground in El Espinar, Segovia, Spain.
PROFILE: José Francisco Molina Jiménez
José Francisco Molina Jiménez played as a goalkeeper, where he spent 11 years of his professional career at Atlético de Madrid and Deportivo de La Coruña. Over the course of 14 seasons, he appeared in 415 La Liga matches. Molina represented national side Spain for four years and played during the World Cup in 1998 and two European Championships in 1996 and 2000. With Atlético de Madrid, Molina went on to win Copa del Rey before joining Deportivo de La Coruña with whom he once again lifted the Copa Del Rey trophy. José Molina has been successful manager for clubs like Villarreal B and C divisions, Getafe B divisions and Kitchee (one of the most talked about teams from Hong Kong). In his short one year stint in Hong Kong, Molina managed to achieve a remarkable domestic treble with the Premier League, League Cup and FA Cup and he guided Kitchee to the AFC Cup quarter finals.
About Atlético de Kolkata:
Atlético de Kolkata is the winner of the first edition of Indian Super League and semi-finalists of the second edition. The franchise’s dedication and commitment towards a sustainable growth of football is on top of its agenda. Atlético de Kolkata leverages on the over 100-year experience of Atlético de Madrid’s sporting model of academies which enables them to recognize and empower talent from the very grassroots. The franchise is represented by notable industrialists and luminaries like Mr. Sanjiv Goenka, Chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group; Mr. Sourav Ganguly, Ex-captain, Indian cricket team, and President, Cricket Association of Bengal Mr. Harshavardhan Neotia, Chairman of Ambuja Neotia Group and Mr. Utsav Parekh, Chairman, SMIFS Capital Markets Ltd as its co-owners and Atlético de Madrid.