‘Sisters’, ‘Almeida sir’ and ‘Chitra mam’: Anthony recalls the pillars of his coaching journey after completing the 50th match
Sudeep Pakrashi: His coaching journey never started with the women’s footballers. Even in his earlier days, his desire was not to settle into women’s football coaching. Rather Anthony Andrews’s journey began, guiding the toddlers and youth footballers in Maharashtra, first at PIFA and then Minerva FC academy. The first assignment of guiding women’s footballers came from Gokulam FC. He was asked to join as an assistant to the first-team coach, Priya PV. Today, Anthony Andrews, after completing his 50th match as a coach (on the day East Bengal won against SESA in the ongoing IWL), reveals he did not accept the Gokulam FC offer immediately. He took almost six months for research on women’s football. He spent hours in understanding the physiological and psychological aspects of women. He has seven sisters in his family. Interaction with them since childhood already helped him to understand women’s psychological aspects, the idea about their physical abilities. He spent hours talking to Chitra Gangadharan in Bengaluru to have a thorough idea about the women footballers’ psychology and how to deal with them. He is also indebted to Jeddy Almedia, one of the pioneers in the country’s women’s football development. He got a lot of advices from Almeida sir. Then only he accepted the Gokulam FC offer. Anthony feels his most memorable happenings in the coaching journey so far are Gokulam FC (two IWL titles) and his success with East Bengal (one IWL, the AFC Club Championship qualification and SAFF Club Cup title). But he still remembers his first win as the coach of Gokulam FC. and still dedicates it to his Praveen sir, the top-boss of Gokulam FC. Anthony believes that Praveen was the man who believed in his hard work and effort. Itr was Praveen’s contrbution which guided Anthony to continue coaching women footballers. While explaining the change in the country’s women’s football, the 30-year-old coach feels In the earlier days the women’s footballers the style of women’s football play was not progressive as they tried to depend on kick-and-run. Today, women footballers have also learnt how to take possession, how to dish out a passing game. They have also improved in technique and basic skills gradually. Still, the coach feels that women footballers should be more encouraged financially, especially at a time when in the Fifa-ranking country’s women’s football is at 67th! The 30-year-old coach wants more clubs across the country should come forward to build up women’s team. He also wants the women’s footballers as well as the coaching staff should earn more than their present condition. Anthony feels It is the first time the country’s women’s football have qualified for the women’s Asian Cup in senior, under-20 and under-17. So women’s football should be promoted more.
Anthony takes Boro Ma’s blessings; dedicates SAFF Club Cup to the fans
The SAFF Club Cup-winning East Bengal women’s football team’s coaching staff led by Anthony Andrews visited Boro ma goddess temple on Monday morning, on the day after the Red-and-Gold women’s brigade returned to Kolkata with the trophy. Ahead of their campaign in the IWL on 24th December, Anthony when asked about the title and prospect in the IWL, said to Parallel Sports, “I dedicate the SAF Club Championship trophy to the fans. We missed the AFC Club Championship qualification for the main round by a whisker, conceding a last-minute goal. Then after returning I watched how fans who were passionately praying for us, became demoralized. That is why, this time we decided to dedicate the SAFF Club Championship trophy to them.” East Bengal coach ha already achieved a rare feat in India’s women’s football history by winning three trophies in a single season already and now he is aiming to defend the IWL. “Our girls played back-to-back matches. Naturally they are exhausted. So they have started doing rehab program in Kalyani. Additionally, a few of our girls received injuries. So they need the rehab program for the recovery. After their recovery I hope they will again be able to deliver their best to defend the title,” added Anthony.
East Bengal trounce Punjab FC to secure final in Super Cup
East Bengal trounced Punjab FC 3-1 in the semifinal of the Super Cup to record their third final at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao, Goa, on Thursday evening. Mohammed Rashid drew first blood for the winners in the 12th minute. Then, in the 33rd minute, Bipin was adjudged to have handled the ball after Ricky Shabong tried to head the ball inside the box. The referee did not hesitate to give a spot-kick in Punjab’s favour. Spaniard Daniel Ramirez levelled the scoreline from the spot-kick in the 34th minute. Punjab tried to have possession in the midfield, but they often looked disjointed and struggled to create goalmouth, thanks to East Bengal’s compact defensive organisation. Just seconds before the referee blew the half-time whistle, Kevin Sibille’s header pulls East Bengal into the lead at the break! However, just as East Bengal took the lead off Sibille’s header, chief coach Bruzon was alleged of celebrating in the face of the officials, which saw him receive marching orders for dissent. But despite Oscar’s send-off, according to Soul Crespo the dressing-room atmosphere became elated with the 3-1 victory. East Bengal captain revealed while speaking to tournament broadcaster after the match, “We are all excited with the result. The dressing room is also elated.” East Bengal on the day had much superiority over their opposition courtesy their five foreigners. Crespo revealed, “In the new season, I feel we are stronger psychologically compared to our state of mind in the last season. We are being able to deliver with free minds.”
