Anup Kumar earned himself the tag of ‘Captain Cool’ during his days as a player in Pro Kabaddi. Apart from his sublime raiding skills, he made a career out of keeping his composure in the most tense situations to guide his team to victory.
The former India coach rarely lost his cool on the kabaddi field or at least didn’t allow his emotions to get the better of him.
However, just two weeks into his first coaching stint, Anup Kumar already seems to be on the edge of his tolerance. Three defeats in as many games for his Puneri Paltan side sees them occupy the 11th spot in the standings and possibility of a comeback looks grim.
Although it’s still early days in the season, questions have already been raised on Anup Kumar’s credentials as coach. The former Indian skipper however has been defiant all the way, suggesting that he has earned the right to be a coach.
“I haven’t become a coach by filling a form. I’ve played kabaddi all my life and after a long career, I have entered coaching. So, it is not right to say that coaches who were players before don’t do well,” an irritated Anup said after Puneri Paltan’s 23-43 loss to Bengal Warriors.
“We’ve been players for a long time and we love the sport. So, why would we tell players something that’s not good for them. Ultimately, the result depends on how the players play on the mat. A coach can only do little,” he added.
However, the 35-year-old did admit that coaching in kabaddi is a tougher job than playing.
“Player’s duty is to perform on the pitch. He delivers sometimes, sometimes he does not. But his role ends there. After the game he can relax, think about his individual performance and where he made mistakes.
But a coach has to look after each player. You have to decide how to use your players against your next opponent, how to motivate him for the next game. It becomes taxing,” Anup told Scroll.in.
Anup’s transition from a player to coach has been a quick one, and the former U Mumba captain is yet to completely step out of his boots as a skipper.
“I was playing till last season. So obviously when you are on the bench, you feel certain things should have been done in a certain way. You feel you could’ve done certain things better. I also felt like going in to raid sometimes. But my job is to get the work done and not do it myself anymore,” Anup revealed.
Having been in match situations till last year’s campaign and having played Pro Kabaddi for six seasons, Anup feels his knowledge of the league gives him an advantage over his peers despite being inexperienced in his new role.
“I have the knowledge of the league and the players. I have absorbed a lot of information from various coaches who have trained us. So that definitely benefits me in this new role. I feel it is an advantage not many enjoy,” he explained.
“Having played Pro Kabaddi, we exactly know what we have to do and when to do it. While sitting outside as a coach, it becomes a lot easier for me to decide,” the 35-year-old added.
Not a task master
Anup doesn’t believe in being too hard on the players when they fail. He has an alternate way to get them on his side and perform. For him, the coach needs to be empathetic towards the players.
“Coach must be open-minded with the players. He must speak with them properly and not treat them in such a way that they face issues in dealing with it. Be it in a restaurant, be it in practice or at airports, it’s important to treat them like a younger brother or your child. I think it’s more beneficial as the player is more comfortable and involved with the team. He respects you and when you are telling him something important on the ground, he instantly pays attention.
“If you pester the players with too many instructions, then they become irritated. If you only point out his flaws, a player gets agitated quickly and can’t concentrate in training.” Anup said.
The 35-year-old has his task cut out to turn around the fortunes of a Puneri Paltan side looking totally out of sorts at the moment. With key raider Nitin Tomar set to remain out of action for a while, Anup’s options are limited.
“There’s no combination in the team at this moment, but the quality is there. After three defeats it’s even harder to motivate players, but then that’s the job that I’ve undertaken,” he concluded.
