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Selecting the right squad is the first step to building a strong team: Tamil Thalaivas coach Sanjeev Baliyan
In a conversation with Hindustan Times, Sanjeev Baliyan said he believes in the Tamil Thalaivas' potential and that the team is playing to win.
Success has eluded the Tamil Thalaivas so far. Strong individual players have not necessarily been able to click as a team and deliver a winning performance. Was the team simply missing a master orchestrator? Sanjeev Baliyan, who has helped two different teams win the PKL Trophy in the past and has recently joined the Tamil Thalaivas, is ready to write a winning strategy - one that starts with selecting the right squad. In a conversation with Hindustan Times, Baliyan said he believes in the Thalaivas' potential and that the team is playing to win.
Q: Coach, your appointment has come at a crucial time for Tamil Thalaivas. The team has shown potential over the past few seasons, but consistency has been missing. What was your first assessment when you took charge?
My first thought was to build a good team. That was the main focus — to assemble a strong squad. I believed in the process and tried to make the right selections.
Q: And what were the immediate areas where you felt changes or improvements were needed?
Initially, we focused on building a strong raiding unit. That’s why we went for Arjun Deshwal and Pawan Sehrawat. We felt we needed more strength in raiding and that’s where we focused our efforts. We already had a sound defence system in place, with strong players.
Q: What motivated you to take up the challenge of coaching the Thalaivas?
Every coach wants to build a great team, hone it, take it to the final stages. I wanted the same.
Q: You just spoke of Arjun Deshwal and Pawan Sehrawat joining the squad. Both are high-profile players. However, the core unit remained the same. Was this a pre-decided strategy? To bolster the raiding unit and keep the defence strong and stable?
Right. The core team was retained and on my suggestion, two strong raiders were added. A good team has now shaped up.
Q: Your coaching style has always entailed leveraging a strong defence unit. This time, there are young corners and experienced covers. So what is your vision regarding defence this season?
This team has always had a good defence system. I believe they will play well.
Q: Narender has always been a standout player for the Thalaivas. So other teams plan to target him [during matches]. So do you plan to distribute responsibility among players and have a strong support radar in place?
Everyone has a different role in the team. Depending on the kind of team they face, they'll play their part.
Q: How do you define success this season?
Lifting the trophy. But first we must qualify.
