The innovative Belgian coach of United Sikkim FC, Philippe de Ridder, helped the team to qualify for the I-League for the first time.
Agreeing that qualification to the I-League is giant step for a team from the sleepy Himalayan state, de Ridder said the biggest task now was to get the team battle ready for the tougher challenges ahead. The United Sikkim manager focused on a systemic approach announcing the recruitment process on the internet. “We used Facebook to spread the message around and also used the contacts of the players who are already in the circuit,” says de Ridder.
Unlike his previous coaching involvement with the big clubs from Kolkata such as East Bengal and United SC, de Ridder has a bigger role to play as manager with United Sikkim. The coach has gone on a venture to pick up the best available football talents in the country. “We already had three selection trials in Chandigarh and in Kolkata and response so far is quite encouraging,” said the soft-spoken Belgian coach.
This search for excellence brought de Ridder to Odisha, where he is scouting talents from different teams playing in the Santosh Trophy. “There are some good players here but the number is not significant.” de Ridder is not very impressed with what the National football championship has to offer.
“Once I have finished with the trials here, I will go back to Europe to select some good foreign players for the team,” he said.
He would also try to forge a tie-up with a European club, he said.
