I-League 2017: Mohun Bagan's Sony Norde preaches, "Love is more important than money"

I-League 2016's player of the year Sony Norde is all raring to don the famous Green and Maroon of Mohun Bagan for a third successive season as Indian football's premier domestic league enters it's third round.

The 2015 champions Bagan have already landed all possible six points from two games. Norde, who joins the squad late owing to a paternity leave believes that the team has only managed to grow in the right direction.

"Sure, very happy that I signed for Mohun Bagan again this season. My family supported me and I hope we get success in the league this time," the 27-year-old expressed on his return.

When asked what made him come back to the City of Joy given he had a couple of big money offers lined up from abroad, Norde let out a very honest answer.

"Sometimes in life, money is important but love is the most important. I have got too much love from Mohun Bagan supporters", he said.

The Mariners lost out on the league title by two points last season but made amends by winning the Federation Cup. The Haitian wanted to win both this season.

"Let's hope for that. That is why Mohun Bagan try to sign the best Indian players to win trophies and us foreign players have to do our best on the pitch and win games."

Norde, scorer of five goals in eleven league appearances last season believed he had nothing to prove to any of his detractors. "I have nothing to prove and will always play my game. I try to win trophies and help my team win even when we are in difficult situations," he opined.

Earlier this year, Norde was called up into the Haiti national team squad for the Centennial Copa America in the States. He even got a start against Ecuador but his team were ousted in the group stages itself.

"I hope that my experience (in the Copa America) helps my team. We have (Darryl) Duffy, Jeje (Lalpekhlua), Balwant (Singh), Katsumi (Yusa), Sehnaj (Singh) - all good players. Let's hope that they can push up and try to win every game. We drew too many (games) last season. We don't want to repeat the same mistakes," he opined.

Norde kept personal ambitions aside and only focused on the team game when quizzed what personal targets he was vying for this season. 

"​The AFC Cup and the I-League," he quipped and signed off.