Steve claims Bengal football will not move up at all if footballers do not stop playing in 'masala' matches

Steve Herbots was one of the coaches in JMG Academy that produced two Moroccan World Cuppers

Steve Herbots, the Belgium coach of United Sports claims the game in Bengal will not move up at all if the footballers do not stop playing in 'five-a-side' or 'seven-a side' 'masala' matches that help them to earn additional money. Under the tutelage of Herbots in the last one-half-year, United Sports has earned qualification to take in the second division I-League next year.

The 39-year-old person who is spending his 13th season as a coach sounded explosive on the issue. Speaking to Parallel Sports recently, Herbots claimed, "Participating in the 'masala' matches is the biggest obstruction to the development of football in Bengal. It is hampering the development of Bengal football for at least the next 15 years. You cannot stop the footballers as they earn a big amount of money from these tournaments that are unapproved by the IFA and the AIFF also. I have information that the money for taking part in such unauthorized tournaments one footballer is given is almost equivalent to a footballer getting a yearly contract from an Indian Super League club. The footballers, especially in Bengal are often getting injured due to their participation in those 'masala' matches."

He added, "Our club has also stood beside me on the issue. But city's other premier clubs also that take part in IFA Premier League as well as in the I-League must raise their voices, forcing the ruling bodies to stop these tournaments which have different names like MLA Cup, and MP Cup. The ruling body of football in Bengal can ask the organizers of these 'masala' tournaments to spend the money for youth development through IFA and the clubs who are nurturing youth development." Incidentally, Steve divulged that before they play in the elite I-League qualifiers all the footballers have been instructed not to take part in any 'masala' match.

Steve has already enough experience in coaching. He worked in top clubs like Arsenal FC, Ajax Amsterdam, and Pescara Calcio. Before coming to India, Steve has experience working in JMG Academy in Belgium, England, Ghana Egypt, Vietnam, Mali, and Seychelles. He was involved in nurturing the youth development programs in collaboration with the academies in respective countries.

Significantly Ilias Chair and Anass Zaroury, the two Moroccan World Cuppers who had an impressive show in the Qatar World Cup 2022 had learned the basics of the game in JMG academy where Herbots was one of the coaches. Commenting on the issue, Herbots said, "These two World Cuppers had represented Belgium in Under-21 level. But Morocco called them into the Qatar World Cup only four days before they played for only 25 minutes against Croatia in the match for 3rd-4th place. Moroccan Football Federation did it smartly so that these two very talented footballers can never represent Belgium anymore. There was another World Cupper from Egypt in Russia World Cup, Karim Hafez who had trained in our academy." But at the same time, Herbots categorically mentioned, "I should not claim that all these three World Cuppers are my products. They learned the basics of the game in those football schools where I worked along with my mentors. I was in the system that produced many footballers of international standard."

The coach shared another memorable experience of completing a two-week coaching course under a legendary former Dutch international footballer who is presently the national coach of the Netherlands, Ronald Koeman. Herbots said, "It was a fantastic two-week program where I learned so many things about coaching. The additional gain was to attain a training session, organized by Phillip Cocu. I also had done an internship course under another eminent coach Marcelo Bielsa."

Commenting on the quality of United Sports footballers, Steve explained, "There are several quality footballers in the team like Basudeb Mandi, Tarak Hembram, and many others. But they have to develop step-by-step. But now I must need to know the dates of our matches. I have heard the League will start in March but we do not know the dates."

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