Sabir credits collective effort for league triumph

Forced to make do with limited resources and a motley bunch of greenhorns, Indian Bank thrived in the face of adversity. There were signs of Indian Bank’s revival two years ago when it remained in the title hunt until the fag end before it ran out of steam. The seasoned Sabir ensured that this time there would be no repeat of that disappointment. 

“Assistant coach and team manager, DC Noel, had a huge role to play in this triumph. I wasn’t with the team for the first three matches and we had a tough opening fixture against Chennai City FC. He made sure that the preparation was spot on. I can’t thank him enough for his contribution,” said the 45-year-old Sabir. 

Despite the punishing schedule where teams were made to play under the searing heat and with only short recovery time between matches, Indian Bank’s players managed to stay fit and there weren’t many injury concerns. “It was challenging to play the afternoon matches under the blazing sun. Even so, my players never complained and were up for the task. Our performance against the private teams that had more financial muscle power was extremely satisfying,” added Sabir. 

One individual that Sabir reserved the highest praise for was midfield sensation, Pravitto. “Without a doubt, Pravitto is the find of the season. He has done outstandingly well and has delivered under the most intense pressure. He isn’t fazed by any situation and emerges from the season with his reputation greatly enhanced,” praised Sabir. 

The title may have been a long-time coming but Indian Bank will savour this success for quite some time.