Interview with Mandar Tamhane, Chief Technical Officer of BFC: "Our aim is to be the best in Asia"
Running a football club is not an easy job by any means. Running the I-League champions’ football club is an even more daunting task. The players on the field may score the goals and produce the results, but it is the countless hours spent by the management staff that truly ensures the club moves in a forward direction.
There are various factors that come into play in the planning process of a football club. Right from selecting the coaches and the players, to upgrading the infrastructure, managing the media and reaching out to the fans, the club staff is actively involved in building a footballing fraternity.
Bengaluru Football Club received much attention at the end of last season after winning the I-League in their inaugural year. What seemed a distant dream at first soon became a reality after persistent hard work by the stars on and off the field.
Mandar Tamhane, Chief Technical Officer of BFC, shed some light on what goes on behind the scenes at the club and how their efforts are focussed towards producing quality football for the fans, in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda.
Excerpts:
How is the business model put in practice at BFC?
The concept of a business model in Indian football is rather alien. There’s so many aspects that go into it such as ticketing, merchandising, hospitality, roping in sponsors. Anywhere in the world, it is the fans that make the club and our focus is no different. We want to make the players and the club in general, accessibleto the fans. Our business model revolves around keeping the fans happy because it is them who will drive the club forward.
What steps were taken to ensure that fans got plenty of access to the club?
Football stadiums are largely dominated by male fans. We wanted to change that. We wanted families and women to also visit the stadium. We beefed up the security and built clean toilets. Tickets were made accessible online and cafes around the city. There was a very professional outlook in our execution.
We also have open training sessions where fans can come and interact with the players and coaches. After the game, the players go and celebrate at our official home pub across the Stadium. We wanted the fans to know that this is their club and all the players feel at home in Bengaluru.
Coming to the technical side of things, how important was Ashley Westwood in achieving instant results for the club?
We have no dearth of good coaches in India but what we lack is the expertise to execute plans and create systems. This is a dimension Ashley brought along with him. He implemented a system for every single activity at the club. Also, he had only just hung up his boots as a player andthe connect with the boys is evident.
What changes or systems were put in place?
Ashley and the owners were on the same page when it came to the philosophy we wanted to nurture at this club. Playing football is what the boys know best how to do. Our job was to ensure that ensure that everything else had standards and was taken care of. The dressing rooms, the kitchen, the ground – all of these had to be up to the mark. Every detail is paid attention to right from when we travel to where we stay.
How does the club ensure that the players are happy in India?
As a player you always have to adapt to a new city, new style of play et al. As a club, it is our responsibility to make sure they are kept as comfortable as possible. That apart, the players have incentives for every game to work as motivator. Also, we want to keep Ashley here for a long time given the way he connects with the players. There’s regular team bonding activities, the boys live in the same apartments and do most things together. It’s like one happy family.
A key factor for the success in the first season was the players managing to stay fit. What is the secret to the high fitness levels?
We have a very scientific approach to the fitness and conditioning of the players. We used GPS sports tags and heart rate monitors during training sessions. The fitness team takes massive pride in the players achieving 90% of the fitness levels of the Premier League players. Their nutrition is also very detailed. Recovery sessions are regulated. All these factors have helped players stay fit.
What are the goals for the upcoming season?
We’re now carrying the ‘champions’ tag and that does raise expectations from everyone around. Also, we will be playing in Asia this season and we have a lot to look forward to from the season. Soon the Federation Cup will start and before we know it the I-League will dawn on us. Our pre-season tour of China will hold us in good stead for Asia. The Durand Cup was a good testing ground for the coach and going forward we will be in a better position. We will take this one game at a time. We want to win the League for sure but more importantly we want to better our performances on pitch from last season.
How was the pre-season tour to China envisioned? Did you meet the goals of the tour?
Most of our players had not travelled outside the country before. We wanted to give them the right exposure. The club also needed to know how it would be when we travel to Asia.The results did not matter. We played against the top teams to see where we stand. It was a very good learning experience for the players and the management so we will be prepared later on in the season. Our aim is to be the best in Asia, not just in India.
In the future is there a chance for BFC to be a part of ISL?
Our owners believe in helping Indian football. We never said we did not want to be a part of it. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond us, we couldn’t be involved. Given an opportunity, we would definitely want to be a part in the future on the condition that our players and coaches form the team.
How does the club promote football amongst the youth in the city?
Ultimately, we want to promote Indian football. There is enough talent in Bengaluru. Our academy makes sure that the players will reach the top level. We have academies for under- 19s, 16s, 14s, 12s and 10s. Richard Hood, our head of development is a licensed coach and ensures that the system is implemented to allow young talent to develop. Our academy has players only from Karnataka. There is so much talent in the state that we did not even have to go beyond to look for players. The academy is an important part of the club. We’ve started with under-10s, tapping the talent at a very young age.The future looks bright and we want to be the ones lighting it