East Bengal head coach Oscar Bruzon has credited consistency, tactical flexibility and a strong collective mentality as the driving forces behind the club’s historic Indian Super League (ISL) title-winning campaign, ending a 22-year wait for a top-division league crown.
Reflecting on the achievement after guiding the Kolkata giants to glory, Bruzon adopted a calm and analytical tone rather than celebrating with unchecked emotion. While acknowledging the significance of the title for the club and its supporters, he stressed the importance of maintaining balance in a profession where success and failure are judged on a weekly basis.
“I see this achievement with a sense of normality, even though I understand how important it is for the club and the supporters after so many years,” Bruzon said. “Football teaches you to remain balanced.”
The Spaniard reserved much of the emotional significance of the triumph for East Bengal’s supporters, who had waited more than two decades to witness their club lift a major league title again.
Bruzon also detailed the tactical and technical changes introduced after taking charge midway through last season. According to the coach, one of his key objectives was to move away from rigid positional structures and encourage a more dynamic style of football.
“We worked extensively on dynamic football – positional rotations, flexible formations and adapting according to the opponent and the specific moments within a match,” he explained.
However, Bruzon believes the biggest transformation occurred away from the tactical board. He identified a lack of unity and belief within the squad when he first arrived and said building a collective identity became a priority.
“Slowly, we developed that confidence,” he said. “This season, I think we showed the characteristics of a winning team in every sense.”
Addressing discussions surrounding the East Bengal-Mohun Bagan rivalry, Bruzon was keen to ensure the title was viewed through a broader lens. While recognising the derby’s importance, he argued that East Bengal’s achievement should not be reduced to comparisons with their traditional rivals.
“Our success was not about defeating one rival,” he said. “It was about competing against all the top clubs in Indian football.”
Bruzon pointed to victories and performances against leading teams including FC Goa, Mumbai City FC, Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters as evidence of East Bengal’s credentials. He described consistency across the entire season as the defining quality of champions.
The coach also reflected on the dramatic derby encounter in which goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Gill produced a crucial late save. While acknowledging its significance, Bruzon maintained that East Bengal had created enough opportunities to settle the contest much earlier, highlighting once again his preference for measured analysis over emotional reaction.
