Having started their journey only three years ago, Diamond Harbor FC finally earned qualification for the elite I-League, securing the I-League second division title unbeaten already before their two remaining matches.

The team’s Spanish coach Kibu Vicun says it is the reflection of the club's vision, expressed three years ago at the time of starting its journey in the CFL First Division. 

The 53-year-old coach has already I-League title once in his kitty with Mohun Bagan when the Mariners won it in 2018-19. But this might be special in his coaching career. 

It might have been a risk in his coaching career when the team began their journey in the CFL First Division under his guidance. DHFC's gradual promotion to the elite I-League might not happen in reality. 

That is why Kibu while speaking to Parallel Sports from Tirur over the phone, explained, "I am grateful to the club's top bosses as they had the vision of taking the team to the highest level of Indian football and recreating a supply-line of footballers from Bengal. I would say, today's success is the reflection of the vision." 

DHFC is already on a mission. The club wants to build up a state-of-the-art infrastructure for the development of the game. Secretary Akash Banerjee revealed, "The ground at Maheshtala is already under renovation. But we do not want to renovate the ground only. Looking forward to the future, plans and initial proceedings are already on to build up a stadium, and a residential football school with international standards. We only did not want to play with our senior team in the competitions when we kicked off our journey in 2022. Our vision was to recreate a supple-line that would nurture and finally produce quality footballers from Bengal for the country." 

DHFC senior team have almost 12 Bengali footballers and Akash divulged, "You will be witnessing more promising Bengali footballers in the CFL Premier Division this season. We are in the process of grooming more quality footballers from rural areas."

Kibu made another significant remark, “The facilities the players and the coaching staff are provided at the club can easily be compared to any ISL club,” he stated. 

DHFC has not only taken the Bidhan Nagar Municipality ground on lease and improved it through proper maintenance, the club provided five-star hotel facilities for its footballers considering the logistics, food, and arrangement of a nutritionist, physio, and dietitian. 

Akash when asked for his reaction, added, "Along with every footballer and coaching staff of the team, I especially thank Kibu Vicuna. He easily could have said no to our offer in 2022. It could be obvious that the coach who guided the fancied teams like Mohun Bagan, ISL team Kerala Blasters, Mohammedan Sporting, and many others, joined our hands at a time when we began our journey in 2022.” 

Kibu also had a lot of praise for his boys’ consistency throughout the League. “They followed the way of playing I tried to teach them,” he asserted.

DHFC had to play 38 matches in total starting from CFL Premier Division and I-League Third Division till the ongoing I-League-2. Even, the players had the least amount of time between the matches. 

Kibu explained, “Playing 38 matches was a good preparation for our boys. In Europe, the players take part in more number of matches. But the gap between the matches should have been at least three while our boys had to participate in the matches after only two days’ rest.”

Akash asserted, “Along with our senior team, we are also focusing on our RFDL team which qualified for the RFDL national phase despite the fact most of our regular boys failed to take part due to injury.”