RAJAT GHOSH DASTIDAR
PRE-ISL
Dastidar was born 1979 and is a former Indian-national team goalkeeper. He is the only goalkeeper in the Indian subcontinent whose been awarded 'Most Valuable Goalkeeper' of an International football tournament outside the country. In 2002 in the L.G.Cup Tournament at Vietnam he was crowned with the said award in the Final match against Vietnam.
He's played for several Indian clubs during his career, including Salgaocar SC, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. He ended his career in ONGC FC and worked as a goalkeeping coach for the club after retirement. Apart from that he also coached Bengal's under-14 team in 2013.
ISL
Rajat joined Kolkata's coaching staff as a "team operational manager". His duties were largely outside the squad, and his main focus were to develop the project "grassroots football". In other words, his basic idea was to attract children to play football. "Our target audience are the kids who want to play something but are yet to decide which sport to take up. I want to attract them towards football, and once they come to ATK, we have to make them start loving it."
It should be mentioned that Rajat also worked with the first team and was for example involved in the team's pre-season camp in Madrid. His work ranged widely, both to develop the club's youth organization and to work with the team.
QUOTES & INTERVIEWS
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August 22, 2014 - "My basic idea of grassroots football is that I want to attract children to play football. That’s the first and foremost priority...(click for more)" [ISL OFFICIIAL]
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October 24, 2014 - "It was like a dream come true for many players, because Spain, as we know, is one of the greatest fotoball powers in the world and Atletico Madrid one of the best clubs in Spain...(click for more)" [ATLETICO KOLKATA YOUTUBE]