Indian Football Association (IFA) has selected Sanjoy Sen as the chief coach of men’s Bengal’s football team for the Santosh Trophy this year. 

The men’s team will have to take part in the qualifier of the competition that is scheduled to be held in the first week of November. 

Simultaneously, Sujata Kar has been chosen as the chief coach of the women's Bengal team for the women's senior national football championship for the second time. 

The women's team will also have to earn qualification for the final round that is scheduled to commence on 19th October in Nadia district. 

This is the first time Sen has been selected as Bengal's coach for the Santosh Trophy. The I-League-winning experienced coach however feels he will require at least a month's preparation for the competition. "I think if we can have at least one or one-and-half month's training preparation then it should be enough. 

The Santosh Trophy is not an easy competition. We often talk about Bengal's legacy in the competition but we generally do not have the whereabouts of other teams like Services, Goa, and Karnataka who are rapidly improving. Moreover, we will have the psychological pressure that we must have to qualify first and then play for the title.”

Sujata Kar under whose guidance the women's Bengal team finished within the top eight and earned qualification for the National Games once, sounded quite worried about the least amount of time for preparation. 

She revealed, "We will start a campaign from 19th October while Durga Puja festival will end on 14th October. I do not know how we will be able to select a team and make training in only three-four days."