It is unprecedented for promoted teams to challenge for trophies in their very first season in top flight. Royal Wahingdoh FC, however, have successfully annihilated this dictat in the ongoing Hero I-League thus far.

The Shillong based team sits pretty in a respectable second position and has bagged nine points out of a possible twelve (as on February 5, 2015).

You look deep and will find coach Santosh Kashyap as the guiding force. In an exclusive interview to AIFF Media Kashyap speaks at length about his plans, the boys, the camaraderie, the fans and much more.

INTERVIEW

Royal Wahingdoh are challengers for the top spot at the moment. How do you explain that?
We have achieved a feat which reflects our motivation. We have won three matches and that speaks a lot for itself. The morale inside the Camp is very good. We are a big happy family who are enjoying their stay in the top flight. That we are challengers at the moment is happily accepted by all of us and we would want to stay where we are.

Wahingdoh have also impressed with their attacking style. How much of that has been brewed in training sessions?
Whatever I have learnt as a Coach, I try to implement it on the Football field. I think my experience helps me a lot in terms of injecting attacking play. We at Royal Wahingdoh believe in a very fluid style of play which is carried out from the back and metamorphs into attack. We don’t have any counter attacking mentality. We want to dominate Hero I-League Teams as we have done so far.

Jackichand Singh has evolved into a game changer. How do you describe his perennial growth?
Jackichand is a tremendous talent.  He is an excellent player. I have chalked out a target for him which can see him play for India at the end of Hero I-League. He is capable enough and there is a lot of scope for improvement which will erode with each passing game.

Is defence a concern for your side?
I don’t think so. Scoring goals and conceding them is a part of the game. All I can say is that we are learning from our mistakes and will overcome them.

Have you made any specific targets?
I have set targets for myself but not for the Team. I want my team to enjoy when they play. I feel they are on the right track. My quest is to sustain the momentum. There is still a long way to go. Let’s see how it pans out.

You were a master exponent of set pieces. How much of that knowledge have you transferred into your contingent?
Set pieces are an integral part of the game. We have been practicing them regularly in a quest to excel. It’s a slow process which will be perfected in the long run.

How much of an impact have the passionate fans had to your side?
We are playing for our fans. They give us the inspiration and motivation to perform. I would like to thank them and urge them to keep supporting us. We are here to create an impression.