From Title to Title: The Mastermind Anthony Andrews Behind the Glory! 3rd IWL title secured!
We sat down with East Bengal Women’s head coach Anthony Andrews, the man who led the Red & Gold to a historic IWL 2025 title.
Watch the interview with Anthony Andrews
Soccermonk: Coach, you are just 29 and already a three-time IWL champion. What inspired you to get into coaching so early and how did your journey begin?
Anthony Andrews: I don’t want to call myself anymore young because this young word is something which is very scary for me. But choosing coaching was not easy. Early injuries and just because you love the game, you want to be involved in the game some way or the other.
I took a lot of time in understanding coaching, whether I can do it or not. I started coaching with toddlers, that is two years, three years and kept myself involved there and understand if I can do something there. But I think coaching is more about patience. If we have patience, I think we can do it, which is very difficult. So, I think whatever we are doing and whatever I have done, it’s not possible for the people who I work with. So, they make my life a little easier and that’s how I think we have won.
Soccermonk: You have already won back-to-back titles with Gokulam. What made you take up the challenge at East Bengal Women’s team?
Anthony Andrews: The club has a lot of huge histories. But like us coaches, I always say that we also have to get out from our comfort zone and try to understand whether we can work somewhere else as well. I think I have been very fortunate enough to work in different states with different teams, different age categories, seniors, men, youth, toddlers.
I think for us also, we need to improve like players. If I manage more games, I will also improve. Understanding cultures, working in different states, the environment is always different. So, the challenge is always there that can teach you a lot. So, I think that is one of the reasons I took. Obviously, the club history and the legacy that the club carries. To wear the red and gold dress is always a proud moment and work for them. So, I think that was in the fortune and I think it happened.
Soccermonk: Your team only lost one, drew one. That’s amazing. What was the main strategy or mindset you gave the team to keep performing so well?
Anthony Andrews: Like you said, the history of this club is so big. So, the expectation when we or the players come in will always be a lot of people watching us and understanding what we are doing. We have taken one game at a time and like I always say, when we were coming here, we were very serious on what we will do here. We really worked hard to reach here and I think that shows on the ground as well that every player wanted to fight for the red and gold. For the badge, what we wear and that made the difference, I think.
Soccermonk: Did you change your coaching style after coming to East Bengal or did you use the same plan that work at Gokulam Kerala?
Anthony Andrews: No, I don’t think like as coaches, we don’t have to use every year the same plan because you have different set of players, environment is always challenging, the culture is always challenging. Not with the game style, but what players do you have and how you can use them, that is more important.
I think, in a big example of Sushmita Lepcha playing as a winger and then playing as a wing-back, Anju being a striker, initially started as a wing-back, Sati fitting into the centre-back position as a midfielder. So, we need to understand as coaches that if we can get best out of them, where they can be useful for the team and for their development. Every year, it’s different, it’s not the same.
Soccermonk: One glorious question. With this win, East Bengal becomes the first Indian club whose men’s and women’s team have both owned the National League. How special is that for you as a coach?
Anthony Andrews: It’s very special. For the club to win the first title, it’s always special, I think. As much as we are proud of these girls and the girls are also proud of themselves and contributing something to this club, it’s always special.
And I think the club is equally proud of what we have achieved together. Like I’m saying, it’s a teamwork. It will not happen from a single person.I think, collectively, we have got what we wanted to.
Soccermonk: How important is scouting and youth development for you when building a title-winning team?
Anthony Andrews: Behind building a team It is it is not one day process or a two day process We need to understand who will fit into your system who will work for you who will fight for you. That may make make a lot of difference also the mentality of every player plays so so so vital to build a team and you want that kind of player who will fight Irrespective to you are one zero down or one up.
I like that players and I think they’ve been very fortunate enough to be around with these players for a long time and we understand What they’re doing and how they can do it in tough situation Yeah, but it’s it’s a patient game of how we want to build the team.
Soccermonk: Can you name some standout players from this court?
Anthony Andrews: Everybody is being performing really well. I don’t want to put one or two names Because it’s a team sports. It is not an unusual game As much as the striker is Involved they even the goalkeeper is involved and we have seen in every department that we have done really really good And it’s a collective like we I always say to the players we defend together and we attack together I think that really so there’s no standout player. Everybody is equal and whoever is helping the team is good.
Soccermonk: Do you have any role models(Coach) Indian or international ?
Anthony Andrews: I follow more of Pep. I love him I’m a biggest fan of him. I really like the way he manages and from India. I think Savio Madeira is someone who I look up to really. Today if I am coaching I think just because of him, the way he melds you the way he tried to teach you It’s too good.
And I think learning from him and sitting here and talking about him. It’s very special so he’s a top guy in India and I think a lot of young coaches also can learn from me. See I will not say success follows you it is also with these people who work they also make better if these guys don’t help how you will do it.
Me coming here will not make any changes no, if these people will not help what a coach wants or what the requirement is and if they don’t help them There’s no one but I think wherever I have gone I think they have believed in us what we are doing and they have trusted the process and when you trust the process and when you believe in somebody I mean I will die for that person to give as much as glory I can. Successes is this much and then you have to work a lot. So I think we’ve done that Yeah!
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