Mayukh: "To achieve something big, you have got to dream big, too!"

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How is the experience of working with other FIIOB Coaching Staff?

It's an awesome experience. We all are free to share our view for the players or if we want to implement something new, we always discuss those topics in our coaching group. Beside that, even during the practice session, suppose if someone is not doing their drills properly or something is not doing it according to our plan, we discuss with each other there only. If someone of us is unable to attend a session suddenly, we all try to give some extra effort to fill his absence. We are very flexible with each other. We love & respect each other a lot. It's not a coaching group, it's a coaching family for me. I've learnt a lot from everyone. Indra is very good in drills, Anubrata is good in man management, Saikat da is very knowledgeable persona and he shares player data, Abhik da is also very good , Rajjo Da is always making strategies. So I feel lucky that I get such brilliant people around me. Rajjo da, actually, helps everyone here a lot to be in same page. Our motto for FIIOB and these players are same that we all want to see this team and players into a professional level. It's very easy to work with people having a common goal.

How the transition of Junos to senior team works? How you people promote players to senior team? How do you guys identify developed ones?

When we go to a nursery to buy some flower saplings, we buy the tiny plants as per our need. Once we take them home, we put them in to a pot and take care very well for their growth. After a certain period once these plants are growing gradually they do not come fit in to the pot. Then we move them to the tubs, so that they can grow up easily with extra spaces. Now after all these care taken, if the plants are not growing well, then we do not waste time on those forever. Especially, when your aim is to make a beautiful garden.

In FIIOB, Junos to senior team transitions follow the same process. We recruit from trials or scout players of any age under 19. Then we follow all the activities for developing them into better shape. Once these players completes his 20th birthday, as per their growth we promote them to the senior team. Now sometimes we get many young lads at the age of 17 or 18 and after putting lot of efforts on them for a couple of years, if we find zero growth from that player, unfortunately we can not promote them further and bid them farewell. Though the probability is very rare. In exceptional cases where a players is really dedicated we still give them chance to improve as they are allowed to practice with the senior team.

We evaluate the development process thoroughly via Junos and the same is carried on for senior team for better results. We recruit or scout the player not only based on quality. If we find a decent player at the age of 15 then it's actually good for us, because we get enough time for his development. So we always try to measure them by their improvement, interest and dedication. When some players show the maturity we are looking for in them and also show notable improvement from the time they have been recruited or scouted, we identify them as the most developed ones and they are given a chance in senior team matches or tournaments even before becoming a Junos graduate. Gradually, they are included in senior team practices.

Now almost the whole of senior team players are actually promoted from Junos only. After I joined FIIOB, Nadeem, Anirban, Aniruddha, Prashant, Bijoy, Aritro, Lolly all were promoted to the senior team from Junos. Even I've also heard, key players like Harman, Belawal, Anubrata, Jeet, Sounak, DDS, Gopal, Sankha, Xavier, Aniketh, Arish etc. who have contributed to much of FIIOB's success are all Junos products. I'm really very lucky to be given a chance to manage this project.

What are the next level thoughts with Junos? And how do you want to take your coaching forward? Are you planning to take some courses?

As I said earlier, we always maintain a routine or curriculum for development of these young lads. Each and every year maximum number of young talents join Junos and after a certain period as per their improvement and growth, they are being promoted to the senior team. I believe that talent will be only of use if the dedication comes into picture. Otherwise there are so many talented footballers who do not make it to the level just because of lack of dedication.

So we've to do something to make sure these youngsters get the dedication and interest to come for practice in a regular way. We've to deduct the casual approach from the existing and upcoming players. Therefore we've few plans which we want to execute from this year like a proper player development program with more online activities engaged.

There is another plan to turn this project in to a full time academy aided by licensed coaches and we would be more than happy to produce players for the nation for upcoming future. Though the plan is at initial stages now but to achieve something big, you have got to dream big, too.

Now I'm attending AIFC organised grassroot level coaching classes and once it'll be completed, I've an aim to go for higher licensing because, as I said earlier, we all are having same motto to see FIIOB at the professional level. Once this dream comes true, coaching license will be required badly to be the manager of Junos.

It is true that to achieve something big, you have got to dream big. Because dream do comes true! And we hope, if not tomorrow or the day after, some day in near future FIIOB becomes a professional club with Mayukh being a licensed manager there.

| Interview by Rajarshi |