As the national coach for a brief period in 1990, Anjan Chowdhury will be remembered for his hugely controversial decision to drop Krishanu...
As the national coach for a brief period in 1990, Anjan Chowdhury will be remembered for his hugely controversial decision to drop Krishanu Dey from the squad for the SAF Games in Pakistan. Many felt it cost India dear as they failed to reach the final.
But Chowdhury has a major contribution to Indian football which is rarely spoken about. As the head coach of Sports Authority of India’s Special Area Games, he was instrumental in raising a team that made the nation realise the true talent and potential of footballers from the northeast region of the country, which remained mostly untapped till then.
The rise of football in northeast
The concept of National Football League was still 10 years away when the SAG scheme kicked off in 1986. There was not a single club from the northeast, who could claim of making even a decent impact in the domestic arena. Yet, within four years of starting the scheme, the national team found a steady flow of footballers coming from the northeast. In the next 30 years, they have become the overriding force in Indian football – the traditional dominance of Bengal, Goa or Punjab players in blue jersey has completely been shattered.
“If I remember correctly, Kiron...
