Post News Network
Kolkata, June 1: The success of coach Sanjoy Sen in helping Mohun Bagan win the I-League after a gap 13 years will no doubt, pave the way once more for the rise of the ‘desi’ coaches. In the recent past, the trend among football clubs of India has been to employ foreigners. But Sanjoy with his achievement will definitely make the officials of various clubs sit up and take notice and adopt a different path.
Sanjoy himself, however, is not ready to look into all these issues. “When I started coaching, I had made it my goal to be a part of an I-League winning side,” he stated after Mohun Bagan’s triumph Sunday at Bangalore. The 1-1 draw against Bengaluru FC was enough to give Mohun Bagan, the solitary point that they required to break their trophy drought for more than five years.
“To me this is like reaching the top of Mount Everest. For any coach in India, the I-League holds special importance,” stated Sanjoy. “The format, the long duration… all makes the I-League a very tough tournament. When I came to coach Mohun Bagan four months ago, I had a definite goal. And I am happy that I have been able to achieve it.”
A firm believer and exponent of proper man-management Sanjoy does not want to credit any individual regarding the triumph. “Football is a team game… it is the team that wins always, not the individual. We were successful, because we played as a team,” he asserted.
When Sanjoy took up the reins of Mohun Bagan there were many who doubted his credentials. They had the right to do so. Sanjoy hadn’t played for the country, neither had he represented any of the big clubs – East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting – in Kolkata. So did he now have anything to say to them?
“Look there will always be doubters. You can’t stop people from blabbering,” he stated in a matter-of-fact manner. “The best thing is to have self-belief and I had that in plenty. I knew, if the players followed my instructions, success would come and that is exactly what has happened,” added the soft-spoken coach.
