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'I'm not interested in Premier League Soccer' – Prayag United SC coach Sanjoy Sen
The 51-year-old coach maintains his focus on his side's next match against Pune FC and believes that the PLS will not affect the I-League...
09-Feb-2012 12:14:00 PM
By Anselm Noronha
goal.com
Prayag United SC coach Sanjoy Sen is anticipating a tough contest with Pune FC in the round 20 clash of the I-League on Saturday.
"They (Pune FC) won their last match against Dempo and now they are playing at home," he observed. "If you compare now to what they were earlier in the season, they (PFC) have become a tougher side to beat. So we have to be serious while facing them."
The Kolkata outfit's tactician however felt that his side was "unfortunate" to be denied three points in their last outing against the defending champions in Goa on Monday.
"Unfortunately, we lost against Salgaocar. Of course, we conceded one goal, but we controlled the game in the second half and we were not given the penalty also. Khelemba [Meetei] and [Ryuji] Sueoka should not have even been in the match. In fact, Khelemba was fouling like anything, but he was still there," he said.
He added, "Our team is trying our best to be on top in the league and these sort of incidents affect our spirit. Whatever we lost, we want to gain in our next matches."
Sen insisted that his boys deserved the second spot on the table and believes that six teams are in the reckoning for the title.
"We (United SC) could have been second to Dempo by now. At least before the break, we want to finish in a good position. Anything can happen in a competition of five-to-six teams."
The Premier League Soccer (PLS) is set to start on 24 March, but Sen was quick to disregard his interest in the same and claimed that the PLS will not affect the I-League.
"I'm not interested in this (PLS). It is not going to improve Indian football because it is a business actually," he exerted.
"It (PLS) will not affect the I-League," he added. "Clubs like Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Prayag United have their fans who follow their club very closely.
"There is always place for football in Kolkata. When Oliver Kahn and [Diego] Maradona came, one lakh people also came, but they still come for I-League matches too," stated Sen.
"For football fans in Kolkata, PLS will be good. As far as development is concerned, there remains a question mark," Sen signed off.
"They (Pune FC) won their last match against Dempo and now they are playing at home," he observed. "If you compare now to what they were earlier in the season, they (PFC) have become a tougher side to beat. So we have to be serious while facing them."
The Kolkata outfit's tactician however felt that his side was "unfortunate" to be denied three points in their last outing against the defending champions in Goa on Monday.
"Unfortunately, we lost against Salgaocar. Of course, we conceded one goal, but we controlled the game in the second half and we were not given the penalty also. Khelemba [Meetei] and [Ryuji] Sueoka should not have even been in the match. In fact, Khelemba was fouling like anything, but he was still there," he said.
He added, "Our team is trying our best to be on top in the league and these sort of incidents affect our spirit. Whatever we lost, we want to gain in our next matches."
Sen insisted that his boys deserved the second spot on the table and believes that six teams are in the reckoning for the title.
"We (United SC) could have been second to Dempo by now. At least before the break, we want to finish in a good position. Anything can happen in a competition of five-to-six teams."
The Premier League Soccer (PLS) is set to start on 24 March, but Sen was quick to disregard his interest in the same and claimed that the PLS will not affect the I-League.
"I'm not interested in this (PLS). It is not going to improve Indian football because it is a business actually," he exerted.
"It (PLS) will not affect the I-League," he added. "Clubs like Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Prayag United have their fans who follow their club very closely.
"There is always place for football in Kolkata. When Oliver Kahn and [Diego] Maradona came, one lakh people also came, but they still come for I-League matches too," stated Sen.
"For football fans in Kolkata, PLS will be good. As far as development is concerned, there remains a question mark," Sen signed off.
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