“Each team has an equal opportunity to qualify for the I-League” – Altamash Sayed

by Rounak Majumdar October 1, 2020

Ever since the pandemic put a grinding stop on all sporting activities from March, football is finally set to resume in India with the I-League Qualifiers commencing from the first week of October. Bhawanipur FC, Mohammedan SC, Garhwal FC, ARA FC and FC Bengaluru United will lock horns against each other in a round-robin format where the group winner will become the eleventh team to join the I-League.

Mumbai’s Altamash Sayed, currently representing Bhawanipur FC, believes each team has an ‘equal opportunity’ to qualify for the I-League. The midfielder reiterates that the short span of time is a crucial factor and each team is preparing at their ‘optimum levels’.

FITNESS: THE CRUCIAL FACTOR

Fitness is a pivotal aspect in contact sports such as football. With the pandemic disrupting schedules, the fitness level of teams would be a differentiator.

“We started our training a few weeks back. There are a lot of new faces and we all are ready for the challenge” says Altamash.

“It is a very short span of time. We have been training hard and have left no stones unturned on the field. The preparations are ongoing in full swing. Coach Sankarlal Chakraborty is paying close attention to each detail and is keeping a track on injuries and various other concerns. Overall, the team seems in good shape.” he continues.

“Honestly, it has been a very tough phase being out of the game. Matching the ideal fitness level after the unforeseen circumstances have been difficult. I have trained back at home to keep up with my fitness but training on the ground and playing under a competitive environment is completely different.” explains Altamash.

Talking about their regime, Altamash narrates that they followed a proper schedule and with each passing day, the team is getting fitter and better.

“When the pandemic hit, we all pursued personal workouts at home. Special thanks to our fitness trainer Rudra Roy, who has thoroughly assisted the team in improving ourselves. He has pushed us to our limits on and off the pitch” says Altamash.

ALL TEAMS HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Experienced foreigners like Willis Plaza, Ansumana Kromah, Eze Kingsley, Robert Primus will represent different teams, and veteran Indians like Shilton Paul, Rana Gharami, Kingshuk Debnath and others have increased the stakes. Looking at all the teams, the I-League Qualifiers is undoubtedly going to be a cut-throat competition.

“Every team has worked very hard. It would be a treat to watch the experienced players competing against each other. I am sure it is going to be very competitive and everyone has an equal opportunity to qualify.” quipped Altamash

REVIVAL OF FOOTBALL IS A RELIEF

When sports resumes in October, football will become the first sporting activity to take place in India. The pandemic has proven to be a nightmare for the country but with football resuming, relative signs of normalcy can be felt.

“Finally back to playing is the biggest relief and happiness for me. We missed playing football over these months. The qualifiers are definitely going to be a good platform for us to make it to the I-League this time.” concludes Altamash.

The I-League Qualifiers are slated to start from the 8th of October happening in two venues at Kolkata. The first match is scheduled between Bhawanipur SC and FC Bengaluru United.

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