Sudeep Pakrashi:

In Indian football, Kibu Vicuna is about to accomplish a unique feat. After winning I-League-3 and I-League-2, the Spanish coach is now all set to mark his name if Diamond Harbor FC, under his tutelage, can win the elite I-League this season.

But the 54-year-old Spaniard does not seem excited with the achievement. Rather, he sounded quite disappointed about getting a clear picture of the team’s preparation for the elite I-League.

“The players need official competitions to gain the maturity to compete in a tournament like I-League. But now, after the Durand Cup, we have no idea about the competitions,” said Kibu while speaking to Parallel Sports.

Following his proposal to the club management, DHFC is even planning to approach a couple of teams outside Bengal, as the teams approached by the club for playing friendly matches in Kolkata recently have refused.

Kibu revealed, “We wanted to play friendly against a couple of Kolkata premier division teams recently, but were denied. So, plans are there to approach Jamshedpur FC or Odisha FC. But they are reportedly not ready to play yet. So, let us see.”

Amidst the situation, Kibu is waiting for the Super Cup, which has been scheduled to be staged at the end of October. If the IFA shield can be staged finally after the end of the CFL Premier Division and before the Super Cup, then it can be a relief for the DHFC, getting the opportunity to participate in another competition.

When asked about his observation on the players’ performance in the recently concluded Durand Cup, the Spanish coach explained, “It was a good experience for the boys. We lost to an experienced ISL team in the final, but at the same time, winning against three ISL teams like Jamshedpur FC, Mohammedan Sporting, and East Bengal was also a gain for the players. They must have been inspired, and before participating in the forthcoming competitions, this can be their motivation.”