Interview with Tejinder Kumar – Coach Chandigarh Football Academy

Interview with Tejinder Kumar – Coach Chandigarh Football Academy, winners of the Dr B.C Roy Trophy, 2010. Dr. B.C Roy Trophy is India’s national U19 tournament. This is the first time that Chandigarh has won this tournament.

To find out more about this years surprise team, we spoke to the head coach Tejinder Kumar, an India international and India captain himself.

Harmit: First of all, congratulations on the splendid performance of the boys. How many team members did you have and how many were from the Chandigarh Football Academy (CFA)? Why is it that boys from the CFA were not included in the team last year.

Tejinder Kumar

Tejinder Kumar: Thanks a lot. There were 20 members in the Chandigarh team and 14 of them were from Chandigarh Football Academy (CFA) boys training under me in this U-19 at Kolkata. Total strength of my trainees is 18 in Sr. batch (U-19) and 22 in the Jr.batch (U-14) under Mr. Harjinder Singh.

Last year, when the Association conducted the trials for under U-19. 13 boys were in the camp of U-17 National schools to represent Chandigarh in National School games at Allahabad and by god’s grace Chandigarh won gold last year too. So, these boys played major role by winning two continuos years in National School games in 2008. At Goa there were 13 of my trainees and in 2009, twelve.11 Jr U-14 boys also represented Chandigarh in National school games and won gold in 2009.

Harmit: Was there any special training that you had your boys focus on for this tournament?

Tejinder Kumar:Out of 20 boys, 14 are training under me according to my schedule from almost more than 3 years in Chandigarh Football Academy. So, I know these boys, their qualities and their weaknesses but for the preparation of this tournament I had suggested the Administration and Association for a one month camp which helped us to create a right mix in the team.

Harmit: How long were the games and at what time of the day were they played? Were the boys able to cope with the heat?

Tejinder Kumar:We played 90 minutes, 5 games on artificial turf at Salt Lake stadium and 3 games including final at the Mohun Bagan ground. In the final match we played 20 minutes extra time too. Matches were scheduled at 8am and 3pm which was very difficult in that humid and hot weather especially at synthetic field because heat was coming from the turf also. We planned for each game differently. We had different strategies for the 1^st half and the 2^nd half and that meant changed formations in each half. We used all substitutions otherwise we would have come home early.

Harmit: What was the average age of your team? Have any of your boys been approached by Colin Toal for the India U19 camp?

Tejinder Kumar: I have total 18 boys under me. 3 are 1992 born 2 of them Deepak Devrani and Bikramjit Singh are in the Asian games camp, they already represented India in SAFF games at Dhaka in Feb 2010 and U-19 Asia cup last year. 4 boys are 1994 and 11 are 1993 born. 9 of my Academy trainees got selection for u-19 camp starting from 12^th July at Goa under Mr. Colin.

Harmit: Tell us about some of the key players on your team and the positions they play in?

Tejinder Kumar: At Kolkata from my team goalkeeper: Ruatfela, defenders: Akashdip Singh, Abraham, Midfielders: Sehnaj Singh Amandip Singh, Chinkash, Striker Gagandip were strong pillars in my team.

Harmit: You have been a player and a coach. Can you tell us why India seems to have more success at junior levels (not only in football but other sports too) but at the senior level, our players just fizzle out?

Tejinder Kumar: See, I agree with this and in my view may be many think in the same fashion. If we think professionally there is no sports culture in India, so in all games we can count on our fingers the number of true professionals. Being a professional means self discipline and professional approach towards the game at senior level. Performance at junior level, when players stay in the Academies they are forced to stay in all professional conditions and demands of the particular games and discipline. Also, many a times overage players are fielded at Jr. level. And that’s why they perform better.

The Winning team

Harmit: When do the players from the current batch/team graduate from the CFA and what kind of hopes do you have form them?

Tejinder Kumar: This 2^nd batch of Chandigarh Football Academy is passing out in March 2011. In my view they have made their impact at Jr. level already. And they will maintain this if they get a good platform at this crucial age in their career.

Harmit: The last batch of boys form the CFA did not find it easy to break into the Indian club scene. Is the CFA going to do something different for the new batch that will graduate shortly so that the boys can find a club?

Tejinder Kumar: Few of senior batch trainees are playing in the clubs i.e. Robin in East Bengal, Ravinder in Air India, Pawan, Randeep, Maninder, Gurpreet in JCT, Gurjinder in Pune FC. Another thing, when these boys pass out at the age of just about 19 only a few extraordinary trainees will get a chance to play in the clubs directly. Secondly, in the North we have only one professional club i.e. JCT had we been based in Goa or Kolkata, the scene would have been different. Now the A.I.F.F. has started U-19 league, which is a good prospect for young players to show their strength. So, for all clubs it’s mandatory to keep an U-19 team now.

Harmit: As an ex- footballer and India captain, please tell us some of your most satisfying on field moments for India? Do you sometime wish that you should have also got the same kind of facilities that some of the boys at the CFA are getting today?

Tejinder Kumar: Yes, sometimes I wish that had I got the same Techno- gym, top class ground without any single stone, Regular balanced diet, top class playing kit and top class football then things would have been much better. But, now I feel satisfied to provide everything what we couldn’t get to these young kids and in the process learn all we can. The Best moments at international level were when we won SAF Games in 1995. In Asia cup qualifying I scored in 14 seconds against Malaysia,1994 world cup qualifying matches scored 2 goals against Hong-kong to make it 2-2. Scored 3 goals in 3 matches In SAF games 1993 at Dhaka but we lost the tie-breaker in the final.

Lifted trophies as a captain in India 1^st National League, Durand, 2 Fedration cups, IFA Shield, Scissors cup, declared best player of Santosh Trophy at Chennai 1994, Played Santosh Trophy for Goa and Punjab.

Harmit: How do you see the future of Chandigarh as a footballing centre?

Tejinder Kumar: We must acknowledge that Chandigarh as a city and does not have a sports culture like that of the traditional football playing states like Bengal, Punjab, Goa or Kerala. In Chandigarh, practically if you see there is no professional or semi-professional club. At age group level, the Chandigarh Football Academy is trying its level best to come on the football map of India and we have done a good job so far. Coaches of the academy: Mr. Harjinder Singh Ex-international with U-14 and myself with U-19 are working hard to teach the players pinpoints of professionalism so that we can make their base strong.

Harmit: Overall, are you hopeful of Indian Football improving with respect to the talent that you saw from the other teams at this tournament?

Tejinder Kumar: All India Football Federation conducted this Tournament to get the pool of youngsters for their long term planning by keeping them together for longer period which is very good Mr. Colin Toll (Chief Coach u-19 National Team) was there for every single match so that no talented player should be left out. Now they have kept u-21, u-23 and this u-19 batch, so a big pool of youngsters are backing the senior team. I think if this is the plan then I am sure we will do better in the future. So, coaches will have enough time to asses these players and get best talent they have. This is a really good initiative taken by the National Coaches and A.I.F.F.

Harmit: What are your own personal goals as a coach for the future?

Tejinder Kumar: Frankly speaking whenever I entered the field in the playing kit I feel that I am the luckiest man on the earth. I satisfy myself by teaching the players whatever I have learned from all the coaches as a player or from other tools of coaching. I forget everything at that point of time, so personal goals for whole life is that I want to give training to these youngsters till the very end of my life. I want to enjoy my life on the Football field no matter if I win or lose but I will work hard to make this beautiful game better wherever I go.

I want to say that in this scenario it is an uphill task and prediction of pundits can be reversed with strong will power, proper planning, implementation of one’s strategies and hard work.

Harmit: Many thanks for taking the time to speak with us.