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Spanish football coach Oscar Bruzon Barreras has been working successfully around South Asia be it in India, the Maldives and now in Bangladesh.
I caught-up with him about his time in India, his current stint with Bashundhara Kings in Bangladesh and much more…
You are now in your fourth season with Bashundhara Kings in Bangladesh. You have developed a top side, where do you see your team compared to Indian clubs?
Bashundhara Kings is nowadays considered as a powerhouse within the subcontinent. We have our own facilities, a stadium, a growing fan base and the appetite to make something big at the international arena.
We regularly provide 8-10 players to the Bangladesh national team and we have changed the traditional Club set-up of Bangladesh football.
Every professional footballer in Bangladesh aims to be part of our Club and this in an indication of a diligent work from all the professionals forming part of this project.
It’s not easy to compare our Club with the Indian Clubs but it is a fact that no ISL Club (Bengaluru FC and ATK Mohun Bagan) could beat us in the last AFC Cup in 2021. We target to give continuity to it on the next AFC Cup which will be play at Kolkata in late-May.
The Bashundhara Group is serious on football. How have they supported you in your work?
Our President Mr Imrul Hassan is a truly passionate about football. He provides the Club with the latest modern equipment and infrastructure, the best professionals, invests smartly towards an organic growth and is supportive to all of us. Honestly he is the main architect behind the Club success and its a real honour to work for and with him!
Additionally Bashundhara Group is one of the biggest industrial conglomerates in Bangladesh and the owners consider sports as an important part of the development of the Bengali society.
Do you think the top Bangladeshi players could play in India?
No doubt Bangladeshi players will soon be in demand across different Asian football markets to fill the Asian quota slots.
There are many good youngsters and the tendency in producing talented players is upwards.
What differences have you seen and observed in India and Bangladesh, when it comes to football?
The main differences can be seen in sports infrastructure, Coach education, grassroots programs and competitions at youth stages.
How closely do you still follow Indian football?
I follow closely the I-League and the Indian Super League as it is part of my job being updated and continuously analyze our next rivals in the international Club competition.
Apart from it I have good friends and colleagues in India, and I follow the developments in their work.
The Spanish flavour of Indian football is another inducement to follow closely the Indian football competitions.
You have worked in the I-League and the Indian Super League. What do you remember of working at Sporting Clube de Goa, Mumbai City FC and Mumbai FC?
I am proud to have been the first Spanish Coach working in India!
We at Sporting Clube de Goa brough the first Spanish players in Angel Berlanga, Arturo Navarro, Juanmi, later Cristian Bustos and Juan Aguilera, and all of them made a huge impact in those times.
After five years working in both the leagues I am honoured to be considered a Coach who implemented with success the dynamics of the positional game. When I came to India in 2011 most of the Clubs played physical and direct football and the evolution of Indian football was clear to me since my first assignment at Sporting Clube de Goa.
Would you be open to return to coach in India?
Nowadays I am under contract at Bashundhara Kings until October 2022. I am grateful to my Club management, players, supporting staff and fans. In the short term I see no reason to change. I believe stability is important to leave a legacy as a Coach and here I have it supported on performance, results and titles.
Thank you for this interview!
