It is a big platform for me: Sabir Pasha

September 29, 2016 01:13 am | Updated November 01, 2016 09:34 pm IST - CHENNAI:

Syed Sabir Pasha.

Syed Sabir Pasha.

It’s imperative for an ISL club to spot promising players from the region it’s based out of.

It helps the club raise its own breed of players for its benefit, ensuring beside, that that small little box of social obligation — aiding players’ development — also checks on its own. It’s only highly resourceful if the player scouting is headed by a person with regional connect.

And, in Syed Sabir Pasha, Chennaiyin FC has secured a deep regional connect, and surplus wealth of experience.

The 43-year old Pasha, with an AFC pro licence, is the club’s assistant coach, and the head of its grassroots development programme.

He spoke to The Hindu here on Wednesday.

On his primary role in the team…

My role, primarily, is to bridge the communication gap between the head coach and the players. I also contribute for the on-field tactics, and do whatever Marco Materazzi asks of me. This is a big platform for me since I not only get to coach, but also learn from the other coaching staff, especially Marco.

As for the youth development programme, I monitor and guide player scouting, and the centre of excellence here where the u-13, and u-16 players train regularly.

On how has his experience with the team been so far…

It’s been great. Being with a legend like Marco, is in itself great. And, the biggest learning for me has been to get to know how to manage foreign players of high calibre. That’s something you don’t get to learn in Indian football. Because it’s the players that I’ve played with, or known for a long time that I manage there, and thus it becomes easy to do it.

On playing without Mendoza, Elano, and Pelissari this season…

They were there. They did the job. They are outstanding players. But, now, we’ve signed players aware of the positions that lay vacant because of their absence. And, the new players are not far off from them in terms of quality.

You’ll come to know that. It’s upto Marco to decide the team combination. But, I think there won’t be a dip in the quality of play.

On how important it is to retain, and sustain, a core group of Indian players…

Changing the team doesn’t help any squad. In that way, Chennaiyin has done a great job. They believe in those players and that’s important.

When a player comes into a team, he should believe in himself, and the team. Once he feels secure, he will give his best performance.

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