East Bengal FC await a new adventure as they are set to script a new chapter under recently appointed head coach Carles Cuadrat.

Having led Bengaluru FC to their first and only title triumph in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) in 2018-19 season, the head coach comes with a wealth of experience and has created several records during his time with the Blues.

After his departure from BFC, the Spaniard moved to Cypriot club Aris Limassol ahead of the 2021-22 season taking over as the assistant coach of the club. He then followed it up with a switch to Danish club FC Midtjylland maintaining the same role.

“I will come back because I love the country (India) and its people,” Cuadrat said during his time as assistant coach at FC Midtjylland, in an interview to Sportstar.

One of the oldest clubs in India, the Red and Gold Brigade haven’t made any significant headway since their arrival in the Hero ISL three years back. The Spaniard asserted the importance of scouting as the way forward for the club in terms of development.

“A club with a long history needs to be very good at scouting and to be really good at data. I think it’s the future of football. Teams need to try to get players in the right moment. It’s always about who is the fastest team to sign the new talent,” he said.

“It’s happening in Europe for the last 10 years already, but in Asia, for example, in India, it’s starting with some clubs really signing talents when they are really young. And taking care of them to make a good squad,” he added.

Recalling his days in the Hero ISL, the 54-year-old brought up as to how ATK Mohun Bagan were quick to take action regarding the signings of Manvir Singh and Liston Colaco. 

“I remember I saw Manvir (Singh) at the Santosh Trophy. I was going to Goa for scouting and I was travelling with my dad and we found that player, we said this is a good player for the future,” he said.

As his role as the assistant coach at FC Midtjylland, Cuadrat peered into data analytics and focused on the quantitative aspects of football. Working alongside another Spaniard in head coach Albert Capellas, the duo won the Danish Super Cup 2022. 

“The kind of new technologies that we deduced at Midtjylland will be part of modern football in the next few years. I’m 100 percent sure of that,” he said.

A La Masia (FC Barcelona’s Youth Academy) graduate himself, Cuadrat is a professional in grooming youngsters and is known for enhancing their playing style. With youth development as one of the main channels under his tenure, the head coach is keen on helping the club progress beyond just the Hero ISL. The likes of Athul Unnikrishnan and Himanshu Jangra stand an excellent chance of honing their skills under Cuadrat and make it into the first team. 

“I know a lot of players here and also the coaches. I know the story behind and I’m ready to see the evolution of all of that. I love Indian football and I’m always thinking that maybe one of the new talents can go to Europe and I, as a coach, can help them progress,” he concluded.