My focus is to save my job: Bhowmick

Roped in as Mohun Bagan's technical director after the exit of Stanley Rozario, Subhas Bhowmick said his first aim was to save his job before promising any long term success to the club.

Talking to reporters after taking charge as technical director of the club which has not won in three matches in the I-League, Bhowmick said, "My first focus is survival and existence."

He said he was not aware of his contract period. "I've not thought beyond December 16 (the day of Dempo match) at the moment. Then we'll see. If I retain my job till the end of the first-leg (in I-League), then I'll answer whether we can win any trophy this season or not. I'm no astrologer, I can't say anything now," he said.

Bhowmick, who had been appointed as Rozario's replacement by East Bengal during a similar topsy-turvy phase in late 2008 only to be ousted later, pleaded for some time to settle down.

"Please give me some time. I won't term it a crisis moment, it's a difficult time and we'll have to work hard to come out of this," he said.

Refusing to comment on Mohun Bagan's jittery start to the I-League and the initial phase of the season, Bhowmick said, "I've not seen their performance from any analytical point of view. I will just say that there is some mental pressure on the players."

"We will have to come out of this phase unitedly. There have been some problems like that of injury to our key players like Edeh Chidi among others.

"I'll try to instill confidence in them. It's a proud moment for me. I was looking for a platform personally and this is a perfect challenge for me," Bhowmick said.

East Bengal, he said, had gone through a similar low after winning the Asean Cup in 2003 only to win the national league at the end of of the season.

"We failed badly and I was about to lose my job. I still don't know why I was retained that time ... But we fought back and won the NFL (in 2003-04)," Bhowmick recalled.

Earlier announcing Bhowmick's appointment, Mohun Bagan general secretary Anjan Mitra said "he needs no introduction. At this time of crisis, we feel he is the right person to take the club out of this phase."

So far this season, the famed side under Rozario thrice lost to their main rival East Bengal to finish as runners-up in the Federation Cup, Mohammedan Sporting Platinum Jubilee Cup and Calcutta Football League (Premier Division).

Victory has continued to elude them in the I-League as well. After drawing with Pune FC (away), the side suffered consecutive losses to qualifiers HAL (home) and Churchill Brothers (away) in the I-League.

Rozario put in his papers after Mohun Bagan lost to the Goan giants.

Mohun Bagan face reigning champions Dempo at home on December 16.