Kolkata: It had been a long and fruitful association, but Mohun Bagan finally managed to lure Okolie Odafa, the prolific I-League striker from Nigeria, away from Goan football and back to the maidans of Kolkata with a Rs 2 crore deal — the highest-ever in the history of Indian football.
And as the club unveiled their prize catch for the next season, they would be hoping the Nigerian manages to do for them what he managed for the Churchill Brothers all these years — taking them and then keeping them in top-flight I-League, making Churchill one of the strongest teams on the domestic circuit, all due to his prolific goal-scoring spree.
Odafa, the league's highest goal-scorer for three consecutive editions — from 2007-08 to 2009-10 — and on the verge of making it four before Ranty Martins' seven-goal burst against Air India pushed him to second spot, admitted it was tough for him to leave Churchill, a club that nurtured and stood by him when he was discarded by the footballing fraternity in Kolkata following a failed season for Mohammedan Sporting back in 2001-02. The only clincher seems to be the money, which sources said would be broken into a Rs 1.6 crore salary and the rest in perks.
"It's a great day in the club's history," Bagan general secretary Anjan Mitra said during Wednesday's unveiling.
The Kolkata giants are desperate to improve their showing in the I-League, with the club management under pressure to make changes after a trophy-less season. Baganhad tried to get Odafa last year as well but cudn't match Churchill’s offer — who raised the stakes with a Rs 1.10 crore contract.
Many promises
Odafa, who would be paired up with Jose Barreto upfront, said that he was looking forward to forge a great partnership with the veteran. “I am honoured to play alongside Barretto. God willing, we would help the team win many trophies next season,” he said.
His inclusion might also prompt Team India's No. 1 striker Sunil Chhetri to return to his old club. “Odafa is a fantastic player and anybody would love to play in a strike force that has his quality,” Chhetri said.
The deal, however, has evoked a mixed response. While newly-crowned I-League champions Salgaocar's coach Karim Bencherifa believes the move will do the side good, former India captain and coach PK Banerjee slammed the sum being paid to Odafa. "Bagan have always spent big to rope in top players. Odafa is a great goal-getter, while Bagan is a huge club. They will profit from this association," Bencherifa said.
Critics sceptical
But Banerjee remains sceptical, saying no one is worth that much in Indian football.
"That money would have been better spent in nurturing a few local talents. The foreigners playing here are not even third grade by world standards. Spending Rs 2 crore for one of them is absolutely ridiculous," Banerjee said
And as the club unveiled their prize catch for the next season, they would be hoping the Nigerian manages to do for them what he managed for the Churchill Brothers all these years — taking them and then keeping them in top-flight I-League, making Churchill one of the strongest teams on the domestic circuit, all due to his prolific goal-scoring spree.
Odafa, the league's highest goal-scorer for three consecutive editions — from 2007-08 to 2009-10 — and on the verge of making it four before Ranty Martins' seven-goal burst against Air India pushed him to second spot, admitted it was tough for him to leave Churchill, a club that nurtured and stood by him when he was discarded by the footballing fraternity in Kolkata following a failed season for Mohammedan Sporting back in 2001-02. The only clincher seems to be the money, which sources said would be broken into a Rs 1.6 crore salary and the rest in perks.
"It's a great day in the club's history," Bagan general secretary Anjan Mitra said during Wednesday's unveiling.
The Kolkata giants are desperate to improve their showing in the I-League, with the club management under pressure to make changes after a trophy-less season. Baganhad tried to get Odafa last year as well but cudn't match Churchill’s offer — who raised the stakes with a Rs 1.10 crore contract.
Many promises
Odafa, who would be paired up with Jose Barreto upfront, said that he was looking forward to forge a great partnership with the veteran. “I am honoured to play alongside Barretto. God willing, we would help the team win many trophies next season,” he said.
His inclusion might also prompt Team India's No. 1 striker Sunil Chhetri to return to his old club. “Odafa is a fantastic player and anybody would love to play in a strike force that has his quality,” Chhetri said.
The deal, however, has evoked a mixed response. While newly-crowned I-League champions Salgaocar's coach Karim Bencherifa believes the move will do the side good, former India captain and coach PK Banerjee slammed the sum being paid to Odafa. "Bagan have always spent big to rope in top players. Odafa is a great goal-getter, while Bagan is a huge club. They will profit from this association," Bencherifa said.
Critics sceptical
But Banerjee remains sceptical, saying no one is worth that much in Indian football.
"That money would have been better spent in nurturing a few local talents. The foreigners playing here are not even third grade by world standards. Spending Rs 2 crore for one of them is absolutely ridiculous," Banerjee said
