Santosh Trophy: Turning the Tables
By: Salman Ashraf Mir
J&K Santosh Trophy team sees resurgence after a period of almost a decade as the team qualified for the second round after 9 years under the tutelage of valley legend Coach MehrajuddinWadoo.
There were certain aspects that lead to the much awaited qualification which has eluded the team for a longtime .The masterstroke being the appointment of Coach MehrajuddinWadoo who brought his vast experience of playing and coaching career at the highest level in the country.
An AFC Pro License qualified coach who has been working various coaching roles in ISLclubs and I league clubs and abroad.He was assisted by AFC A License Coach Satpal Singh Kala a legendary figure who has been in the coaching circles for the last 30 years.Alongside these two handling the medical side of the team was internationally experienced physiotherapist Dr BurhanWani who spent many years with various junior Indian national teams.
The appointment of a professional and competent staff resulted in a very transparent selection that was supported by J&K Sports Council who took the responsibility of this team .The team was selected on merit with a balance of experience and young talent that finally looked like a squad that could deliver.
The team then had a proper preparation camp of three weeks first in Srinagar and then Jammu whichinvolved strength sessions tactical and technical work and practice games to test the squad to its maximum potential and enhance the ability of the players.
With a solid camp under their belt the team looked positive in every aspect as they left for Amristar for the campaign .Their pool featured other 3 teams of Punjab Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh .The first game being against the arch nemesis and potential favourites Punjab who are one of the most successful teams in Santosh trophy history with 8 titles.
The game against Punjab showed the tactical organisation and shrewd setup of the team courtesy of Coach Wadoo as the J&K boys who kept Punjab at bay and emerged victorious with a 1-0 win over the mighty Punjab team.
In the second and third game J&K ran through their opponents Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh with empathic wins which showed the attacking prowess of this team as Coach Wadoo gave chance to many youngsters who showcased their ability at the national stage.
With three wins out of the three the team qualified for the much eluded final round.It was also refreshing to see a J&K team with a new take of keeping the foot on the pedestal and taking an attacking and progressive approach instead of the usual defensive and backfoot approach.
This campaign has shown us that if professional staff is handed over football teams with infrastructural support and resources provided by the governing bodies we can expect better results. Work can be done in a systematic way to have significant progress in the footballing scenario of J&K where there is a lot to be desired still.
(The author is a football management professional who has been working in football in various parts of the country and abroad in numerous roles)
