Former India ladies’s worldwide Sujata Kar lately coached Emami East Bengal ladies’s crew to the Kanyashree Cup (historically often known as the Calcutta Women’s Football League) title, beating Sreebhumi FC within the ultimate. This win paved the best way for East Bengal to qualify for the Indian Women’s League (IWL) for the primary time.
Kar, the brains behind East Bengal’s historic marketing campaign, says not permitting her gamers to get complacent was the most important motive behind the title-winning run. Not harping on the previous, she says, “ aashol challenge ta ekhoni shuru hobe” (the true problem begins now).
“I had 30-35 players in my squad. I knew that if I could have 2-3 good players in every position, that would keep my girls hungry to prove themselves. I used to be fluid with my team selection, and no one knew who was in and out. No one could take their starting place for granted. In fact, when the team captain Mina Khatun’s performance was not up to the mark, I did not hesitate to drop her too,” Kar recollects.
East Bengal gamers have a good time after profitable the Kanyashree Cup.
| Photo Credit: IFA
Kar believes holding a residential camp for coaching classes was considered one of her greatest selections.
“All the ladies stayed in the identical place. This allowed them to develop a bond that stretched past the soccer pitch. Everyone was disciplined in the identical method. It was a giant motive why my crew grew to become the champion. So, step-by-step, we moved ahead and are right here now, “ provides Kar.
Scouting abilities, early-day challenges and creating historical past
Kar travelled to the remotest corners of West Bengal, villages in Jhargram, Purulia, and Paschim Midnapur, to unearth hidden abilities that shined vivid for East Bengal within the Kanyashree Cup. While having fun with a wealthy legacy in Indian males’s soccer, East Bengal’s foray into ladies’s soccer has all the time been sporadic, with out vital achievements.
The head coach says she made it clear in her first assembly with the East Bengal higher administration that she wants time and belief to make issues work.
The affected person strategy bore fruits in the long term. Kar unearthed abilities like Mousumi Murmu, Kabita Saren, Deblina Bhattacharjee, Gita Das and Sulanjana Raul, who scored the one aim within the Kanyashree Cup ultimate and was adjudged because the ‘Player of the Match’ within the summit conflict.
From clinching a difficult 3-0 semifinal win towards Mohammedan SC to creating historical past with a document 35-0 win towards Behala Aikya Sammilani, Kar managed to shine the uncooked abilities and channelise their power right into a title-winning marketing campaign.
Raul devoted the cup win to Kar and says, “Ma’am [Kar] is always quick to rectify our mistakes. She and the entire support staff are a big reason we are here today.”
Murmu, who comes from Salboni, a village within the West Midnapur district, grew to become the highest scorer of the Kanyashree Cup with 12 objectives. Her Kanyashree Cup exploits earned her a nationwide crew call-up for the AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers in Vietnam. She made her India debut in a 7-0 win towards Singapore within the first spherical of qualifiers on Tuesday, March 7.
Mousumi Murmu was the highest scorer of the Kanyashree Cup with 12 objectives.
| Photo Credit: East Bengal media
However, the win is simply the tip of the iceberg. Kar says that profitable the belief of oldsters and convincing them to let their daughters play soccer was a protracted course of.
“There have been times where I have kept players in my own house because their parents were hesitant in sending their daughters alone, far from home. Over time, I was able to win their trust. “Now, I have parents coming to me, asking if I could give their daughter a chance. That is always nice to see.”
“This Kanyashree Cup win has given these girls a platform and thrown the limelight on women’s football in a positive way. Now, everyone is eager to know what is happening with women’s football in the state. This interest was not there before.”
IWL and the longer term
For Kar, the celebrations are over. Now, her sole goal is to make her crew shine within the Indian Women’s League, which might begin in April.
“We are already behind schedule, and I have told the club authorities that I want to start the training sessions as soon as possible. Another residential camp would have been ideal, but it is too late for that now.”
Kar says it might be tough to search out good gamers from different groups now. She additionally has the supply of signing two worldwide gamers. However, her predominant precedence is uplifting ladies’s soccer in West Bengal.
“Right now, I am training with the Bengal women’s squad. If things pan out favourably, I might take this team as the official East Bengal team for IWL, along with a few other players from my Kanyashree squad.”
“ Amader Banglar konai konai talent ache. Shei meye der khuje ber kore national platform dewatai amar lokkho. (There are talented players in every corner of Bengal. Finding them and giving the girls the necessary platform to shine on the national stage is my main intention),” she says.
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com