KOLKATA: The heat that top officials from East Bengal have been receiving from all quarters for their intransigence (read hunger to retain the reins on power) looks to be finally paying dividends. Or maybe one should wait till said officials, among whom current executive committee official Debabrata Sarkar is “the face”, sign on the dotted line.
The club responded to a letter from principal investors Shree Cement on Tuesday, declaring their willingness to sign the “definitive document” provided their pending issues were resolved (emphasis ours). From this perch, it still looks as if Sarkar and company will have to be “dragged kicking and screaming” to the “signing table”. But sign they will, is SportzPower’s considered view.
Relevant here are the comments made by renowned football historian and former East Bengal media manager Gautam Roy, who specifically lambasted Sarkar (also known as ‘Nitu’).
Roy took to Twitter to refute claims made by the latter that the final term-sheet prepared by Shree Cement “fails to protect the rights and interests of existing club members”. Roy had tweeted on Monday: “I am a member of East Bengal Club for nearly 45 years now much before the club committee member Debabrata Sarkar (Nitu) became a member. I do not buy any of Sarkar’s bullshit that club members’ rights would be jeopordised if the final agreement with Shree Cements is signed.”
Shree Cement had sent an email to the club on May 12, seeking their stand on signing the final agreement.
In their response, the club stated: “We are in the process of issuing a document to clarify the points which are inconsistent/incorrect as per term-sheet.”
The club hoped that the investors would do the needful to continue ISL participation.
Telegraph India reports that club president Pranab Dasgupta sent a “personal letter” to Shree Cement managing director Hari Mohan Bangur, wherein he wrote: “I am ready and willing to meet you personally to discuss and do the needful. Please advice (sic) a date and time convenient to you.”
A Shree Cement official confirmed receiving the letter but added that without a final agreement, there would be “no further investment”.
Asked about the letters, Sarkar told the daily: “I am quite sure we will have a very good football team this season because the investors have not communicated that they are not making the team. I have full faith in Mr Bangur.”
Investors Shree Cement are firm on their stand. “Yes, we received the letter from the club. But we made our point very clear – we will not take any step forward unless the final agreement is signed. Unless the final agreement is signed no further investment would be done. We will make our stand clear to the ISL authorities soon,” a Shree Cement official told Telegraph India.
