Our Year in Review : The Unexpected 2020

My idea of a team has always been different. I never wanted to build a team where people will come, play, go home and that's all will happen. I wanted to have a team where teammates will ready to go to any extent for each other - a team that eat, sleep, dream and live together. 2020 is probably presented us the best example. Apart from playing football, we do lot of stuffs together which makes our bonding stronger. Weekend trips, beach football, trek, dining - football is definitely the most important thing for us but not everything. What is most important for us is to create a connection that would last 20-25 years later even if football is not there.

While doing all these, we have created innumerable memories, made stories to tell and here is a small one for you. Trekking is something probably we cherish the most after football and every time we are out on a trek, we have faced one or more things that gone wrong. As we came out of those situations successfully, we started to believe that if we are together, anything can get solved and that's when we came up with the phrase "Hum Kuch Na Kuch Manage Kar Lenge".

We trekked to Sandakphu couple of years back. One day we reached a place called Molley after trekking 14 kms from Sandakphu peak for more than 7 hours, where we were supposed to spend our night and we found that people in charge of that hut messed up and gave our booking to someone else. The Sun was already down, temperature was reaching sub zero and the nearest stay was 10 km from the place which was at least 4 hours trek. We did not care and decided to do that impossible task. Thankfully an army camp nearby allowed us shelter for the night but we always believed that even if we had to walk, we would have done that successfully. That night, while chitchatting, we all agreed that we knew the situation was turning out to be extremely challenging but we all believed "Hum Kuch Na Kuch Manage Kar Lenge".

2020 was all about it. It tested how can we manage such an unexpected situation and I am glad that I have got such an amazing bunch of lads who adapted in no time. We started the year with first ever trophy by FIIOB Reginas. We travelled to Bangalore where results were not in our favor but we had big lessons. Then lockdown happened which forced to stay at home, halt practice sessions for more than 7 months. But as we always believed, no matter how tough the situation is, "Hum Kuch Na Kuch Manage Kar Lenge" - we did it.

We made our own repository on football related movies and documentaries so that we can spend time at home while gaining more knowledge about the game. We organized online fitness sessions so that every player remains fit and we can start the ground running in no time when situation permits. The response was overwhelming. I was glad but no surprised. Because that's what we are about.

We used the time to setup our own YouTube channel, we planned the most professional kit launch we have done ever, we planned to manage practice sessions in a more organized way and the best part is we executed each of these successfully. Then as soon as we restarted practice sessions, what a tremendous attitude is shown by us. Loved it.

December has been brilliant for us because we have been brilliant and I am sure that the coming year we will have exactly same attitude no matter how tough it will be. 2020 will remain memorable forever for different reasons. Lets make sure 2021 becomes a successfully one like never before. Forza FIIOB.

Rajarshi Bhattacharya