Head Coach Steven Dias announces captain as team Maharashtra gears up for Santosh Trophy

by Chittu Shetty January 6, 2023

The 22-member Maharashtra football squad has traveled to Kolhapur for the upcoming Group IV matches of the 76th Men’s National Football Championship for the Hero Santosh Trophy, set to take place from January 7-15, 2023.

Head Coach Steven Dias has named Mumbai lad Shravan Shetty as the captain of Team Maharashtra and is optimistic about his team’s performance at the Santosh Trophy

The team will face off against West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Daman & Dadra, and Haryana in the competition.

Maharashtra has a strong history in the Santosh Trophy, having won the competition four times, with their last victory coming in the 1999-2000 season. The team also made it to the finals in the 2005-06 season, where they lost to Goa in extra time.

West Bengal, the favorites in the competition, has won the Santosh Trophy a record 32 times in the tournament’s 82-year history. With their history, they are expected to be the toughest opponent for Maharashtra. The two sides are set to face each other in the final group fixture, and the match is expected to be enticing with full house spectators.

The newly merged team of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, making its senior national debut in this edition of the Santosh Trophy, could also provide tough competition. While Haryana, Chhatisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh may not have as much success in the tournament historically, they will also be looking to make a strong showing.

In an interview with head coach Steven Dias, he spoke about the significance of representing Maharashtra in the Santosh Trophy and his ambition to bring home the championship for the state. “As a player, we lost in the finals against Goa in 2005-06, so now as a coach, my aim is to win the championship for Maharashtra. For now, we are all focused on qualifying for the group stage,” he said.

Dias also shared his reasoning behind selecting Shravan Shetty as captain of the team. “I chose Shravan as captain based on his performance in every training session and match he played. He has a fighting spirit and strong leadership qualities, and he has a good bond with every member of the team. The other players respect him as a player and he is always motivating them during the match,” he explained.

Inderjit Khaira, a former footballer and friend of Shetty, also commented on his selection for the national level competition and captaincy role. “Shravan has been in peak form for the past 12 months. As leader of the Mumbai Football Team and the State Team, he brings a strong sense of consistency, dedication, and commitment to the club, city, and the sport overall,” he said.

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