West Bengal honours Santosh Trophy winners with police jobs

Head coach Sanjoy Sen reflected on the journey to the title, singling out honesty and dedication as the keys to success

Kolkata: The Santosh Trophy-winning Bengal footballers have been appointed as assistant sub-inspectors in the Kolkata Police, state sports minister Aroop Biswas announced during a felicitation ceremony here on Wednesday.

Bengal extended their dominance in the national championship by clinching their record 33rd title, defeating Kerala 1-0 in a thrilling final in Hyderabad on New Year’s Eve. Following their triumphant return to the city, the West Bengal government rewarded the entire squad with Rs 50 lakh and promised jobs to all 22 members.

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“Today, their jobs have been finalised, and I proudly announce that the 22 ‘warriors’ of Bengal have been appointed as ASIs in the Kolkata Police,” Biswas said during a felicitation ceremony organised by Bhawanipore Club at its Maidan tent.

The minister also highlighted the lack of representation of Bengali footballers in the Indian national team and expressed a desire to change that. “Currently, only one footballer from Bengal, Subhasish Bose, is part of the national side. We need to ensure that at least six or seven players from our state make it to the team. “For this, we must focus on nurturing more local talent through the Kolkata League. Indian football can only progress if Bengal football progresses,” he stated.

Recipe for success

Head coach Sanjoy Sen reflected on the journey to the title, singling out honesty and dedication as the keys to success. “If you do anything with honesty and sincerity, you can achieve great results,” said Sen, who previously guided Mohun Bagan to 2014-15 I-League and 2015-16 Federation Cup titles.

He revealed how he carefully scouted talents from remote areas of the state, assembling an initial pool of 40 players before narrowing it down to the final 22. Training began during Dussehra, giving the team two and a half months to prepare.

“The match against Kerala was particularly tough as they had played an excellent semifinal. However, our players proved themselves as deserving winners,” he added.

Staying grounded

Sen urged the players to remain grounded despite the hype and accolades. “I told them after the victory in Hyderabad that their lives would change once they returned to Kolkata. But it’s crucial to stay focused and not let the success get to their heads. This is just the beginning, you’ve a long way to go,” he advised.

From the winning batch, two players, including final’s hero Robi Hansda, have already been signed by Mohammedan Sporting and were unable to attend the felicitation. Indian Football Association (IFA) chairman Subrata Dutta praised Sen’s coaching prowess while recalling a former India coach’s words.

“Bob Houghton once told me that Sanjoy Sen is the ‘best Indian coach’. I remembered his words when Sen was appointed as Bengal’s coach this year. I was confident he would deliver, and he has exceeded expectations. I thank the technical committee for making the right decision,” Dutta said.

Junior academy initiative

During the event, Bhawanipore Club announced a cash award of Rs 3 lakh for the team and unveiled plans to launch a junior academy to develop grassroots talent. “Today, I pledge to start a junior academy to nurture young Bengali footballers. Sanjoy Sen will take charge of this initiative,” club president Swapan Sadhan Bose said.