Sanjoy Sen's Bengal stay on the bring-back-Santosh-Trophy mission

KOLKATA: On Oct. 13, when Bengal was preparing to bid farewell to Maa Durga, Sanjoy Sen began his new journey.
A total of 78 players assembled at the Salt Lake Stadium. And so commenced the selection trial for Bengal’s Santosh Trophy squad under the watchful eyes of coach Sen. Over the past few days, they were made to go through the grind and play four practice matches, including the one against I-League team Inter Kashi, before Sen picked his final 22 for the tournament.
"When I watch a game — be it a match from ISL or I-League or any other tournament — I have this habit of taking note of the performance of any good player and keeping their names in my notebook. This has been my longtime practice. And this has helped me settle down on my final squad for Santosh Trophy also," Sen told TOI on Thursday.
"Besides, I've collected data of some players from people and coaches who have been directly involved in teams playing in the CFL. They have also helped me pick my players. Robi Hansda, Israfil Dewan, Ayon Mondal and Aritra Ghosh — they all have proved their worth in the CFL. Overall, in my opinion they are the best of the lot. Let's see what the future holds for me and my team," he added.
Seated comfortably in his shorts and tee, he looked relaxed at the Bengal team hotel adjacent to the Kalyani stadium where he would be busy with a mission to fulfil in the next few days.
Bengal begin their group-stage campaign with a game against Jharkhand on Saturday. The two other teams of the group — Bihar and Uttar Pradesh — will also square off on the same day.
The most successful team in the Santosh Trophy history with 32 titles, Bengal have not won it since the 2016-17 season. It was the time when Sen had been scaling new heights in Indian club football, having guided Mohun Bagan to their maiden I-League title and a Federation Cup to boot.
"I'm not an expert in assessing why we have fallen behind in Indian football. I'm not a person who wants to live in the past. Maybe, at that time players from Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan SC used to play for Bengal. From Latifuddin to Md Akbar and Xavier Pias they all played for Bengal in the Santosh Trophy and helped Bengali players grow as a whole. Now these three teams no longer allow their players to take part in the tournament. So, the present can't be judged in the light of what has happened in the past," said Sen, who has also managed Mohammedan Sporting and United SC in the I-League and served now defunct ATK as its head of youth development.
"Moreover, when we used to rule Indian football, the game was limited to Bengal, Kerala, Goa, Punjab and Services. Now, 38 teams are playing in the Santosh Trophy this year. The game has expanded and it offers a more level-playing field," he remarked.
A daily routine chart for the players hangs up on the wall of the dining room. Each morning it is shared with them on the specially-opened WhatsApp group. "They must know what I want from them. Following everything in a disciplined way is a must in my scheme of things," he put it.
Sen would also often sit with them, dissecting their performances in the practice match against Inter Kashi. Mohun Bagan SG's ISL Shield-winning coach Antonio Lopez Habas, now serving the Varanasi-based team as a technical director, spoke highly of Sen's brigade after the match which Kashi won 2-0.
Working a little away from the media glare and with the challenge of helping Bengal return to their days lost glory in Santosh Trophy for the first time in his 27-year-old coaching career, does he have a point to prove? Is there any self-motivating factor?
"In our time, representing Bengal was itself an honour. But the players now know that unless they become champions or runners-up, they will not be noticed. This is their motivation and they are hungry to reach that stage. It's a collective mission. I'm here as a catalyst, helping my players fuel that dream," Sen pointed out, his stiff jaw betraying a sense of determination.
And any personal objective?
"My dream? I've not thought about this, honestly speaking. I've trained the Indian junior team. And just like Manolo Marquez, I too applied for the Indian senior coach's job. If there's any dream, maybe it's there... If it doesn't happen, well, it will leave me with no regrets."
Sen signed off, got up and with a whistle in his mouth, began his training session with the players at the Kalyani stadium.