"Our focus is on the young players" - Patna Pirates head coach Narender Kumar Redhu gives sneak peek into PKL 2023 Auction strategy
The Patna Pirates were one of the first teams to announce their coaching staff for Pro Kabaddi League 2023. They appointed Narender Kumar Redhu as the head coach and Anil Chaprana as the assistant coach.
Narender and Anil have coached Army teams together in the past. This move might just be a masterstroke on the part of the Pirates, who will be looking to lay their hands on the trophy after their hat-trick of wins ended in the fifth season.
The Patna Pirates will be looking to build a strong squad in the Pro Kabaddi 2023 Auction, scheduled to take place on September 8 and 9.
Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, Narender Kumar Redhu opened up on the 10th edition of the Pro Kabaddi League and how important it is for the development and popularity of the sport.
"The 10th edition of Pro Kabaddi is about to begin and this is very essential for the sport. We want to see our players do well. We are hoping that the auction comes around soon so we can pick the players whom we have planned for," Narender said.
The veteran coach revealed that they planned the retentions meticulously after taking into consideration both the offense and defense of the side. He hinted at buying some big names at the auction, with the dynamics permitting it.
"We have retained a few players keeping in mind the defense and offense of the side," Narender Kumar Redhu remarked. "We will look to pick a few big players but it will depend on the situation during the auction. We are planning for all possibilities."
Giving a sneak peek into the Patna Pirates' auction strategy, Narender revealed how they will look to focus on the youngsters in the auction, especially raiders who can be mentored and trained by the experienced coaches.
"Our focus is on the young players in the auction," he continued. "We are planning to get raiders who are young and want to mentor and train them."
"I would like to thank Patna Pirates for giving me such a big responsibility" - Narender Kumar Redhu
Narender Kumar Redhu promised to perform his duty with honesty and dedication during his stint with the Pirates. He also thanked the management for showing faith in him for this big responsibility.
"I would like to thank Patna Pirates for giving me such a big responsibility. It is a matter of pride for me to be coaching the Pirates in season 10. I will execute my role while putting in efforts and with honesty," Narender said.
Speaking about the Patna Pirates' performance in the previous season, Narender spoke about how the side lacked coordination in the initial stages but eventually found their groove.
"I watched all matches in season 9 - the team's performance in the beginning was poor. There was a lack of coordination in the team. However, as time passed, the team started playing with coordination. Towards the end, the team was in good coordination. I would think that is the reason for the team not qualifying," Narender Kumar Redhu said.
Despite not having the best of outings, Neeraj Kumar was retained by the Patna Pirates, a move that was questioned. However, the head coach believes that he has tremendous potential and backs him to come good this season. He also asked fans not to judge him on the basis of one season.
"Neeraj is the right cover. He is a young player and works hard. On the basis of one season, we cannot judge him. He is the main right cover for Red Army. He has a lot of good qualities and we trust him," he continued.
Narender Kumar Redhu will have an important task cut out for him as he steps into the Pro Kabaddi 2023 Auction. With the Patna Pirates having hinted at using their FBM Card on Mohammadreza Shadlu, it will be interesting to see which players they sign at the auction.