Taking his new stint with Mohun Bagan as a challenge, football ace Baichung Bhutia says he is honoured at the prospect of pairing upfront with Brazilian Jose Ramirez Barreto.
"It's an honour to play alongside Barreto. He is a legend in Bagan," Bhutia said, after he was formally presented before the media at the club tent, amidst wildly cheering fans.
Barreto, who has been named Bagan captain, switched over to the city giants from National Football League champions Mahindra United.
With the club having gone through a lean phase in the last couple of years, Bagan supporters are pinning their hopes this time around on the success of the Barreto-Bhutia combination in the forwardline.
Bhutia expressed confidence that the partnership between him and Barreto would be smooth.
"I will not have any ego problem with Barreto. He is a great player, and we will combine well."
Promising '110 per cent' on the ground, he said, "It's a challenge for me to do well in the Bagan jersey. I want to succeed and do my bit in making Bagan the number one club in India."
Recalling his earlier days with Mohun Bagan, Bhutia said, "When I played for Mohun Bagan the last time I couldn't play the National Football League due to injury. I turned out only in the AFC tourney. I could not take part in the local league also as I received an India call-up."
Praising the Bagan line-up for the coming season, Bhutia said if the players remain injury-free, then the team would do well.
"I seriously feel that this season we have a good team and a great coach. And provided we don't have injury, and work together, we will do well."
However, he also had a word of caution for the club's supporters.
"Don't expect that we'll win all the matches. We may a lose one or two matches also."
Asked why he decided to leave East Bengal and join Bagan, Bhutia replied, "I love to take up new challenges."