East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan: 7 Top Coaches To Coach Both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan successfully

East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan is probably the biggest derby in India. Not only in India, this particular Derby is one of the most attended and most viewed football matches in Asia and the whole world.

The rivalry between these two clubs is from more than 100 years ago. And a huge credit behind this popular rivalry goes to some legendary coaches who have managed the Kolkata-based clubs and have brought so much silverware to the clubs.

Also Read: East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan: Results from last five Kolkata derby

East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan: 7 Top Coaches To Coach Both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan successfully

Pradip Kumar Banerjee, popularly known as PK Banerjee, the Golden and legendary Indian footballer, was also a brilliant coach. Not only did he see success with the Indian team but he did wonders at the Kolkata-based clubs East Bengal and Mohun Bagan.

Banerjee joined the East Bengal FC (1972-1975, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1988-1989) before joining the Mohun Bagan FC from 1976-1979, and then in 1984, 1990, and 1994. Under his coaching, Mohun Bagan Athletic Club won the IFA Shield, Rovers Cup, and Durand Cup respectively, securing their first-ever triple-crown triumph in a single season.

Under his guidance, East Bengal saw their golden period in Kolkata football as they won four of their six consecutive Calcutta Football League titles. He was also the coach of East Bengal when they famously thrashed Mohun Bagan 5-0. In 1997, East Bengal defeated the Mariners at the Salt Lake Stadium.

Amol Dutta coached all three big clubs of the Kolkata Maidan. With East Bengal, he won the CFL (twice), IFA Shield (twice), Rovers Cup, Durand Cup, Darjeeling Gold Cup, Bordoloi Trophy, Airlines Gold Cup, Sanjay Gandhi Gold Cup and ATP Shield. He saw more success with Mohun Bagan whom he coached to 4 Calcutta Football League titles, 4 IFA Shield titles, 3 Federation Cups, 2 Durand Cups, the DCM Trophy, All Airlines Gold Cup, Sikkim Governor's Gold Cup, and Nehru Trophy.

In 1990, he was appointed as head coach of East Bengal. In his first season, he led the club to their second Triple-crown of Indian football (IFA Shield, Durand Cup, and Rovers Cup). He helped East Bengal win six trophies in two seasons in his first tenure at the club.

Once again he took charge in 1994 and led the team to seven trophies in two seasons. After his third stint as the head coach of East Bengal in 2000, he had eighteen trophies to show, only second to P. K. Banerjee.

From 1992 to 1994, he managed Mohun Bagan. The club defended their Rovers Cup title and won the Federation Cup in 1992. Mohun Bagan participated in the 1993–94 Asian Club Championship, won against Maldivian side Club Valencia and Sri Lankan club Ratnam in the preliminary stages, but lost 4–0 to Thai Farmers' Bank in the first leg of the second round.

Since joining East Bengal in 1999, he has come out as one of the most successful coaches in the history of the club. He didn't see success during his first stint with the club in the 1999–2000 season. During his second stint as coach, the club won back-to-back NFL titles in 2002–03 and 2003–04, Kolkata Football League, Durand Cup, and IFA Shield victories.

East Bengal also won the ASEAN Club Championship in Indonesia in 2003 under him. Towards the end of the 2008–09 I-League, a relegation-threatened East Bengal Club appointed Bhowmick as their coach but it didn't go well as his second stint.

During his coaching career, Subrata Bhattacharjee managed all three Kolkata-giants East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, and Mohammedan Sporting. He took charge of Mohun Bagan first in 2000 when the club was undergoing transition. He won the National Football League in the 1999–2000, and 2001–02 seasons apart from the IFA Shield in the 1999 season. Bhattacharya was also appointed as the head coach of East Bengal, but after their poor showing in the inaugural 2007–08 I-League, he resigned.

Carlos Roberto Pereira was appointed in charge in the 2006–07 season winning just the Calcutta Football League. He then joined East Bengal's direct rival club Mohun Bagan and led the side to the 2007-08 Calcutta Football League title. His managerial career in India was not a huge period but he earned two titles in two seasons with the two Kolkata Football giants.

Biswajit Bhattacharya managed East Bengal in the 2015–16 season and helped them win the prestigious Calcutta Football League title. He most recently managed Calcutta Football League club Calcutta Customs and is the current head coach of West Bengal football team