AN INTERVIEW WITH PK BANERJEE, FORMER BENGAL AND INDIAN FOOTBALL LEGEND
Fathers of both Sourav and Leander sent their respective sons to train under PK way back during their childhood. Leander was 10, Sourav was a bit elder. It was probably during the time of the Delhi Asiad. PK gets nostalgic while talking about his two famous students in the following interview
How did they contact you?
Leander's fatherVace Paes requested me first to nurture his son. Few days later, Sourav's father Chandi also came to me with the same request for his son . Actually, that time, there was a thought that a person or a team that trains under me, would be succesfull definitely but they never trained together. 2-days a week and that too on Sundays and Saturdays. They trained under me for 1-2 yrs. Both had one thing in common which attracted me since day 1. That is their hunger to be successful. They didn't have any high ambition at that age, but they both were good learners
Who was more fluent in trainig?
The attitude of Leander and Sourav were different. When i taught few steps to leander, he used to do it immediately, without thinking. He was ready all the time to obey me. In case of Sourav, he used to think twice before doing it. Both had different attitude to training, but the end result was brilliant. Both were perfect, both were good footballers too. While leander used to play with his speed, style was Sourav's power.
What was your training style?
My idea was to increase their reflexes. Both had god-gifted skills. My job was to bring out their hidden talent. People say, that coach has prepared that player that;s ridiculous, no coach can make a player. Its the skill of a player which makes him successful. I used to make them jog, sudden body-turning and stretching.
Any vocal tonic for the two children?
There was no point in telling a 10 yr old boy that, "country is your mother, you are sacrificing for your mother". so i used to tell them those stories which would be interesting. I told the story of Gurusaday Dutta, who was a legend in playing with sticks. Such was his reflex that he could stop a bullet. There is game in kerala known as Kaliarpattu. That could be seen in beaches. with just a towel in hand, it could resist the opposition. There also you need reflex.
Tough mentality of Sourav and Leander?
I used to tell their parents, they can achieve anything in life. That was evident even at a very young age. They were little children then but were always ready for tough training.
Courtesy : ABP
Translate By : Shrayan Sen
Edited By : Arun Raghavan
Fathers of both Sourav and Leander sent their respective sons to train under PK way back during their childhood. Leander was 10, Sourav was a bit elder. It was probably during the time of the Delhi Asiad. PK gets nostalgic while talking about his two famous students in the following interview
How did they contact you?
Leander's fatherVace Paes requested me first to nurture his son. Few days later, Sourav's father Chandi also came to me with the same request for his son . Actually, that time, there was a thought that a person or a team that trains under me, would be succesfull definitely but they never trained together. 2-days a week and that too on Sundays and Saturdays. They trained under me for 1-2 yrs. Both had one thing in common which attracted me since day 1. That is their hunger to be successful. They didn't have any high ambition at that age, but they both were good learners
Who was more fluent in trainig?
The attitude of Leander and Sourav were different. When i taught few steps to leander, he used to do it immediately, without thinking. He was ready all the time to obey me. In case of Sourav, he used to think twice before doing it. Both had different attitude to training, but the end result was brilliant. Both were perfect, both were good footballers too. While leander used to play with his speed, style was Sourav's power.
What was your training style?
My idea was to increase their reflexes. Both had god-gifted skills. My job was to bring out their hidden talent. People say, that coach has prepared that player that;s ridiculous, no coach can make a player. Its the skill of a player which makes him successful. I used to make them jog, sudden body-turning and stretching.
Any vocal tonic for the two children?
There was no point in telling a 10 yr old boy that, "country is your mother, you are sacrificing for your mother". so i used to tell them those stories which would be interesting. I told the story of Gurusaday Dutta, who was a legend in playing with sticks. Such was his reflex that he could stop a bullet. There is game in kerala known as Kaliarpattu. That could be seen in beaches. with just a towel in hand, it could resist the opposition. There also you need reflex.
Tough mentality of Sourav and Leander?
I used to tell their parents, they can achieve anything in life. That was evident even at a very young age. They were little children then but were always ready for tough training.
Courtesy : ABP
Translate By : Shrayan Sen
Edited By : Arun Raghavan
