Molina’s Exit and Mohun Bagan Super Giant’s Strategic Pivot

Mohun Bagan Super Giant’s decision to part ways with Spanish head coach José Francisco Molina marks one of the most dramatic mid-season pivots in recent Indian Super League history.

The separation, mutual on paper but deeply rooted in escalating internal tensions, represents the collapse of a tenure defined by both historic success and a sudden breakdown in strategic alignment. Molina, who joined the club on June 11, 2024, delivered an unprecedented ISL League Shield and ISL Cup double in 2024–25, yet by November 26, 2025, his role had become untenable due to a combination of poor early-season results, tactical stagnation, and irreparable conflict with club management over recruitment policies  .

A Paradox of Success and Sudden Termination

At first glance, the dismissal seems counterintuitive. Molina’s tenure included a historic domestic double that placed MBSG alongside Mumbai City FC as the only clubs to achieve the Shield-Cup pair in the same season. His points-per-match (PPM) average during this period stood at an exceptional 2.13, underscoring the team’s consistency and high performance.

Yet this apex was quickly overshadowed by a steep decline at the start of the 2025–26 season, when the club endured early exits from the Durand Cup, AFC Champions League Two, and the Super Cup competitions viewed as essential indicators of sustained elite competitiveness.

The early collapse was quantifiable. Across seven matches in the new campaign, MBSG’s PPM dipped sharply to 1.57, a regression that animated concerns within club leadership. The Durand Cup loss, the disappointing AFC Champions League Two opener against Ahal FK, and the crucial Super Cup draw against I-League side Dempo SC stemming from Molina’s rotation decisions created a sequence of setbacks that fractured confidence in his long-term suitability. Each misstep magnified a narrative that the manager had failed to adapt and evolve from the previous season’s formulaic approach, and that complacency had crept into the squad  .

As results slipped, tactical identity emerged as a lightning rod for criticism. Molina’s system, notably his restrictive use of full-backs, limited both attacking width and fluidity. While the conservative approach offered defensive security over longer league formats, it faltered in knockout scenarios where proactive risk and strategic rotation were essential. His reluctance to adjust his structure especially in high-pressure matches became emblematic of a team struggling to innovate.

The tactical rigidity also intersected with preseason issues. MBSG’s delayed preparation for 2025–26, combined with a demanding multi-competition calendar, left the squad underprepared, exposing systemic weaknesses that better-prepared opponents exploited. The drop in output, coming so soon after unprecedented success, intensified scrutiny on the coach’s adaptability and readiness for a long-term project.

The Recruitment Rift: The Breaking Point

But while results created the conditions for change, the rupture became irreversible due to Molina’s public criticism of the club’s recruitment strategy. After the Super Cup exit, he openly stated that he had “little say in player recruitment,” specifically citing the absence of a suitable foreign midfielder as a reason for the team’s inability to control matches. This public airing of internal disagreements crossed a non-negotiable line for MBSG’s hierarchy.

Management firmly believed that recruitment authority lay with the club structure not the head coach and publicly countered Molina’s statements by asserting that credit for the double belonged to the administration rather than the manager. This direct and public contradiction cemented a breakdown of trust that made continuity impossible  .

Lobera’s Arrival: A Calculated Tactical and Cultural Shift

In replacing Molina with Sergio Lobera, MBSG executed a swift and deliberate realignment of its footballing identity. Lobera, an ISL champion with Mumbai City FC and a former Barcelona youth coach, is synonymous with possession-based, attacking football an aesthetic and tactical philosophy that sharply contrasts with Molina’s structured pragmatism.

Lobera’s arrival signals a controlled pivot toward a more fluid and progressive style. His emphasis on liberated full-backs, rapid ball circulation, and high technical execution suggests an immediate redefinition of the squad’s tactical priorities. Off the pitch, his history of successfully operating within multi-club governance models especially the City Football Group framework positions him as a coach aligned with modern administrative structures and less likely to publicly clash with recruitment hierarchies.

Molina’s trajectory highlights a key truth in elite football: success alone is not enough. Institutional alignment, communication clarity, and shared philosophical vision between coach and hierarchy are critical for long-term stability. His downfall, despite extraordinary achievements, underscores that departures often stem from governance conflict rather than a simple bad run of form.

For MBSG, the pivot to Lobera reflects not just damage control but an intentional recalibration of footballing identity towards possession, coherence, and structural alignment.