Non-League and Academy football writer

Anamul Haque is the manager of Sporting Bengal United Reserves, who play in the Essex Alliance Football League Premier Division West (step 8). The Sporting Bengal United Reserves’ manager is very experienced in grassroots football, as a coach. Since making the move from reserve team football, into senior football for the start of this season, Sporting Bengal United Reserves’ young side are currently in second place in the Premier Division West, this season. They are doing very well, and under the tutelage of Anamul Haque, they are looking like real contenders for promotion to the Senior Division, for next season, even though it’s still early days. I recently had the pleasure of speaking to Anamul, about some of his journey in football so far, as well as on his time with Sporting Bengal United (so far).

Could you talk me through a bit about your background in football, prior to joining Sporting Bengal United Reserves? 

Anamul: I’ve been in the game for over 25 years. I started at a local team to me, called E7 FC. I had players who were playing for me there, who were playing at higher levels than just Sunday football, such as at step 5 and step 4. We came on to the Sunday league scene, and we did very well. People always used to tell me that I should move into Saturday football with that group of players, because we won numerous leagues and cups. And in tournaments along the way, we actually beat some step 4 and step 5 teams in tournaments. I carried on coaching that team for about 15 years, and I eventually I moved on, and got into Sporting Bengal. In Saturday or Sunday football in 25 years, I think that I’ve only missed ten games! But after being approached by the organisation at Sporting Bengal, I joined them. From there I did my voluntary and community work, and I started coaching the academy lads around ten years ago.

I managed the academy lads for around four years, and then they would play in the Echo league. I had two players from the academy, who would play for the senior team of Sporting Bengal, when Imrul Gazi was the manager of the first team. My ambition was to manage the Sporting Bengal first team, but after a couple of interviews that didn’t happen, but Sporting Bengal is a club that is very close to my heart. After coaching at Athletic Newham Reserves, where we as a team did really well for two seasons, during my time there. In fact I coached Richard Kone for one game, but we knew it then that he was going to make it as a pro, because of his commitment level and training/intensity. But after a couple of seasons at Athletic Newham, Sporting Bengal approached me, because they wanted to set-up a reserve team, and that is something that I feel privileged about.

After a good time in the Essex Senior Reserve League, this brings me up to where we are now with the team, which is the next level, in the Essex Alliance Football League. The aim and ambitions for this reserve team is to progress as a team, and so far it’s been very good.

Could you talk me through some of your recent memories of being with Sporting Bengal United Reserves?

Anamul: There’s so many recent memories, but one that really stands out for me, is our opening league game of the season, against Saint City. That was a feisty game from the beginning, but we took our chances and defended well throughout that game, but the team knew that they were in for a tough league right from that moment. I want our team to play football from the back, and to keep possession of the ball. We’ve stuck with that footballing philosophy from the start, and it’s paying off for us. There’s some really good teams in the league that we are in, such as Newham Wanderers and Saint City, who we play again soon, and that will be a great game of football. We’ve got four games in hand over Saint City, and so the pressure is on us.

What have been some of your standout memories of being at Sporting Bengal United, so far?

Anamul: The name Sporting Bengal holds so much, especially with the success of the first team. The lads in the reserve team want to achieve that same thing, and emulate that success of the first team. There’s so many great memories for me. Abid Haque (19) is my son, and he plays for the Sporting Bengal Reserve team. He currently play for me in the reserve team, which is great. He is a special talent when he plays, and he’s always got one special moment in him in a a game, where he can change the game. He did that in recent games for us, against Newham Wanderers, when we were 1-0 down, and Abid then scored a great goal from 25 yards out. And then against Inter Newbury, in the cup, Abid scored a bicycle kick to make it 1-1 in that game. Those are the special moments that stick in my mind, and I love getting up on a Saturday and going to football, and thinking that something special is going to happen.

The club’s reserve team made the transition from reserve league football into senior football, this season. What are some of your early thoughts of managing the reserve team at step 8 of the Essex Alliance Football League?

Anamul: Whatever level that I manage at, for me it’s the same level. The players have to be up to the standards, and mine and the team’s standards are very high in training and on match days.

Who would you say has been the toughest team (for their quality), that you have played so far this season?

Anamul: I think that it was Saint City. It was a tough game, with the challenges flying in, and they are a very good team, even though we won that game.

What are some of your personal hopes for the rest of this 2024/25 season for Sporting Bengal United Reserves?

Anamul: I want us to get to a cup final, and also for us to get promoted to the senior division. That is the ambition and the dream, at this moment in time. We are still in the Fenton and Premier Division Cup’s. Achieving those ambitions would be very good for the club and for the team. 

Could you describe to me what style of football that Sporting Bengal United Reserves likes to play?

Anamul: I like the team to keep the ball, and I also like having two or three special and skilful players on the pitch, who are capable of making things happen. But we  like to play out from the back, starting with our goalkeeper Alfie Murray, who is very good on the ball. I also like us to overload the other team going forward, in terms of numbers, as well. As a team we are also very good at set-pieces, scoring from a good amount of corner-kicks and free-kicks.

What are some of your personal hopes for the future, for Sporting Bengal United Reserves?

Anamul: My personal hopes obviously include us getting promoted to the Senior Division, and then in the future to also get promoted from the Senior Division, to step 6, which is the furthest that we can go as a reserve team. If we can make it to step 6 in the future, then that would be a great and very happy moment for me, especially then for reserve team players to be getting regularly called up to the senior team of Sporting Bengal.