"2nd Divison clubs deserve a Super Cup spot":Fateh Hyderabad AFC director Yogesh Maurya 

Hyderabad was once a fortress for football in India, with numerous players and coaches hailing from the city. Even the legendary ‘Rahim saab' (Sayed Abdul Rahim) hailed from the city of the Nizams. With the onset of the 90’s era football in Hyderabad fell into the abyss and gradually drifted out of the footballing scenario.

The winds of change though seemed to be blowing over the Charminar, as Fateh Hyderabad FC look to restore the lost pride of the city in terms of football. Fateh Hyderabad is one of the few clubs in the country who have a professional approach to them. Incorporated in 2015, the club has been plying its trade in the 2nd division I league since then, and has taken to improve their own infrastructure and base before making the shift to greener pastures.

The I League 2nd division is almost upon us, with AIFF confirming that the tournament is stated to start in March or April. This season the 2nd division has more the reserve sides of 7 ISL sides taking part in the tournament.

We at Sportskeeda got to speak with Co-Owner and Technical and Sporting Director Yogesh Maurya, who is one of the few Owners or people in club management in India who has an AFC B coaching licence. We also had a chance to interact with the club’s general manager Abhik Chatterjee who in the past has been associated with the ISL franchise Northeast United FC.

Below is the excerpt of the conversation

Q: Seeing the complex situation Indian Football is in, being a second Division Club, how do you view the future?

Yogesh Maurya: The future of football in India is incredibly exciting! And we have seen that whether it is the ISL or I-League, fans are coming out in great numbers. India is obviously big as a population, but it is also a huge land mass. Do we really think 30 teams can speak for the entire country? There is an enormous amount of growth potential. If structured properly, our country can support a league and non-league system bigger than England’s.

Q: How difficult is it for an owner to run a 2nd Division Club given the lack of sponsors and no broadcast of the second division?

YM: I have an amazingly supportive partner, and we both understand as well as anyone that investing in professional football, especially in India, we have to be in it to build something and profit and loss is not a good analytical tool in such an immature industry. That being said, we have invested in a joint venture with Premier Education Group of the UK providing multi-sport physical education in schools throughout Hyderabad as a business that would contribute to sustaining our football club in the future. The company is doing extremely well, and we can see that in 5 years from now, Fateh Hyderabad will be run completely on its own two feet.

Q: We have seen players like Gurtej and Hakku featuring in the ISL this season. Can you give us an insight into the values of the Club that has helped shaped these players?

YM: Discipline, Work Ethic and Desire to Win. Both players have a heart that is bigger than their football ability, and the secret to their success is that they put everything into every training session on and off the pitch. Gurtej received a special award last year which we give to one player who most embodies the Fateh Hyderabad value system and leads others by setting the finest example.

Q: How do you feel about the 2nd Division not being a part of the Super Cup?

YM: The ISL Reserve teams are playing in our division this season if anyone is wondering about whether we have a right to participate. I think this year it is more because of the U17 World Cup and the delays to the league starts, and the leagues running simultaneously as to why we were not included.I believe we should be included next year as that is the whole point of a Cup competition. David can slay Goliath in a knock-out situation, and it happens repeatedly in cups across the world.

Q: Where do you see the Club going and what are your ambitions for football in the region?

YM: We want to continue to grow and take the Club to greater heights. We will also be looking to take in more players at youth level from the districts across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Building our own campus is the next big focus for the club. Having our own infrastructure will help us in making a much bigger impact across the region. Our approach is slow and steady. It doesn't mean one day we won't look to accelerate.

Q: Hyderabad was once a footballing powerhouse. What steps is the Club taking to increase its fan-base?

Abhik Chatterjee: Hyderabad as you said, was once a football hub. People in the city have started to take notice of Fateh Hyderabad AFC and our activities. We are an accessible Club and have always been reachable through different mediums. Social media plays a big part in our outreach. We have very high standards with respect to the content that we are putting out and we want the fans to be recipients of it. From podcasts to training updates, we endeavour to be regular in our outreach. We have also created a community exclusively for fans of the Club, where they can share their views and have a dialogue with us. The motto of the Club "Tehzeeb (Respect), Souryam (Bravery), Community, Fateh (Victory)" also guides us to be ever-present in the community through programs like free health checkups, Foot-tennis tournaments and several other initiatives. The fans can look forward to a slew of initiatives in coming days.

Q: What is your opinion on the team this year? What will make Fateh Hyderabad AFC different?

AC: The I-League Second Division has always been extremely competitive. Our performances on the pitch shall be the ultimate indicator of how good we are. We have a nice mix of players from different parts of the country and always endeavour to create a team full of young talents who can express themselves. Yogesh is extremely focused on getting each and every player to follow the values of our Club, which I feel is a dying concept in football clubs in the present day. All this sets us apart in a way. We want the players to become honest, respectful and determined individuals.

Q: What steps is the Club taking to solidify its Youth Development programs?

AC: Youth Development is one of the most important agendas in our overall mission to develop football in the region. Our partnership with Premier Education Group, the largest Physical Education and Sport Activities deliverer in the UK, shall also enable us to create qualified Coaches who will impart quality programs to budding athletes from this region. All our academy activities shall eventually come under the Premier India umbrella. We have participated in the I-League U13 and U15 leagues and will be a part of the U-18 league in April. From these leagues, we have received our learnings and will be taking steps to streamline processes. We are very proud of the fact that all our U-13 and U-15 players were local talents and we will continue to be a platform for them in the near future. Additionally, we want to embark on a state-wide scouting program with a fine comb and discover potential talents as soon as the I-League is over. Hopefully, these players shall go on to play for the first team in a few years.