{{short description|Bangladeshi association football player and manager}} {{Infobox football biography | image = Former Bangladeshi Footballer Amalesh Sen.jpg | image_size = 200px | caption = Sen as manager of [[Abahani Limited Dhaka|Dhaka Abahani]] in 2017 | fullname = Amalesh Sen | birth_date = {{Birth date|1943|03|02|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Bogra]], [[Bengal Presidency]], British India | death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|10|07|1943|03|02|df=yes}} | death_place = [[Dhaka]], Bangladesh | position = [[Midfielder]] | years1 = 1962–1969 | clubs1 = [[Fire Service AC|Fire Service]] | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 1969–1970 | clubs2 = [[East End Club]] | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = 1970–1971 | clubs3 = [[Dhaka Mohammedan]] | caps3 = | goals3 = | years4 = 1972–1984 | clubs4 = [[Dhaka Abahani]] | caps4 = | goals4 = | nationalyears1 = 1971 | nationalteam1 = [[Shadhin Bangla Football Team|Shadhin Bangla]] | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 = | nationalyears2 = 1975–1978 | nationalteam2 = [[Bangladesh national football team|Bangladesh]] | nationalcaps2 = | nationalgoals2 = | manageryears1 = 1990–1994 | managerclubs1 = [[Muktijoddha Sangsad KC|Muktijoddha Sangsad]] | manageryears2 = 1999–2017 | managerclubs2 = [[Dhaka Abahani]] }}
'''Amalesh Sen''' ({{langx|bn|অমলেশ সেন}}; 2 March 1943 – 7 October 2017<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/sport/football/2017/10/07/former-bangladesh-footballer-amalesh-sen-no/ |title=Former Bangladesh footballer and Abahani coach Amalesh Sen no more |work=Dhaka Tribune}}</ref>) was a Bangladeshi [[association football|football]] player and coach.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://int.soccerway.com/coaches/amalesh-sen/278198/ |title=Bangladesh - A. Sen - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway |publisher=Soccerway}}</ref> He started his career in [[Dhaka]] by playing for Fire Service Team and [[Shadhin Bangla Football Team]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://greenwatchbd.com/shadhin-bangla-football-team/ |title=Shadhin Bangla Football Team |website=greenwatchbd.com}}</ref> but spent most years as a player and coach for [[Dhaka Abahani]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite news |url=https://www.newagebd.net/article/25658/ex-footballer-amalesh-dies |title=Ex-footballer Amalesh dies |work=New Age}}</ref>
Amalesh is the first ever goalscorer in a [[Dhaka Derby]] match, he scored the historic goal for Abahani in 1973. He later coached both Abahnai Limited Dhaka and [[Muktijoddha Sangsad KC]] in the [[Bangladesh Premier League (football)|Bangladesh Premier League]]. Amalesh holds the record for the most Bangladesh Premier League titles won by a single coach (3 for Abahani Limited Dhaka), and is also the first coach to win three consecutive Bangladesh Premier League titles.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/sports/football/title-dedicated-amalesh-sen-1515631 |title=Title dedicated to Amalesh Sen |date=6 January 2018 |work=The Daily Star}}</ref>
==Playing career== Amalesh began his football career in the Byton Club, he played for [[Bogra District]] for almost two seasons in the '''National Football Championship''' competition between district team since 1958. And again under his leadership, Bogra district team became national champion in 1969. His [[Dhaka First Division Football League|Dhaka First Division League]] journey started in 1962 for the Fire Service Team, where he played for seven years. Amalesh then went onto play for the famous East End Club. Amalesh joined for [[Mohammedan SC (Dhaka)|Mohammedan SC]] in 1970. During the [[Bangladesh Liberation War|1971 Bangladesh Liberation War]], he also played in the [[Shadhin Bangla Football Team]], where he along with his teammates played 16 exhibition games in India, in order to raise money for the war. After that, from 1972 to 1984, he played continuously for [[Dhaka Abahani]].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |url=http://kironsportsdesk.com/?p=4614 |script-title=bn:"জাতীয় ক্রীড়া পুরস্কার" প্রাপ্ত ফুটবল ব্যক্তিত্ব অমলেশ সেন আর নেই | Kiron's Sports Desk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bhorerkagoj.com/2017/10/07/অমলেশ-সেন-আর-নেই/ |script-title=bn:অমলেশ সেন আর নেই |work=Bhorer Kagoj}}</ref>
Dhaka Abahani and Dhaka Mohammedan first played each other during the 1973 First Division League. The battle between of these two giants is now commonly known as [[Dhaka Derby]], and Amalesh is the first player to score in the derby. During the game, Amalesh swifted past Moahmmedan stopper back [[Zakaria Pintoo]] and goalkeeper Abul Kashem to score the famous goal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.uvlsports.com/news_details/276/8/index.html |script-title=bn:ফিরে দেখা মোহামেডান-আবাহনীর দ্বৈরথ -- ইউনিভার্সাল স্পোর্টস |author=Mahfuz Reza Chowdhury |date=7 August 2017 |website=Universal Sports |language=bn |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180205072141/https://www.uvlsports.com/news_details/276/8/index.html |archive-date=2018-02-05 |access-date=2018-02-04}}</ref> Amalesh was part of Abahani's first league winning team, and further went onto win four more league titles along with the [[Federation Cup (Bangladesh)|1982 Federation Cup]], which was shared with [[Mohammedan SC (Dhaka)|Mohammedan SC]].
Amalesh Sen first played for the [[Bangladesh national football team]] in Malaysia, during the [[Merdeka Tournament|1975 Merdeka Tournament]]. However, due to injury, he later withdrew and did not play for the national team for a long time. Although, Amalesh got a chance to join the Bangladesh team for the Bangkok [[Football at the 1978 Asian Games|1978 Asian Games]], that opportunity was also not taken by him, as all of Abahani's 7 footballers refrained from playing due to the teams captaincy complications involving their teammate [[Monwar Hossain Nannu]].<ref name="auto1"/>
==Coaching career== Sen continued his playing career till the early 80s before embarking on his coaching career in 1986. He stayed with [[Abahani Limited Dhaka]] till the late 90s before having a two-year stint with [[Muktijoddha Sangsad KC]]. He returned to Abahani in 1999 and remained with the club until his death, in 2017. He was Abahani's main coach from 2007 to 2010, 2010 to 2011, 2014 and 2015. He was a regular member of the clubs coaching panel for 18 years straight. He won three consecutive league titles as the clubs coach from 2007 to 2010, becoming the coach with the most [[Bangladesh Premier League (football)|Bangladesh Premier league]] titles wins.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/football/'সুখের-চেয়ে-শান্তি-বড়' |script-title=bn:'সুখের চেয়ে শান্তি বড়' |work=Prothom Alo}}</ref> Amalesh also served as the vice-president of Bangladesh Football Coaches' Association.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/sports/football/amalesh-sen-no-more-1473049 |title=Amalesh Sen no more |date=8 October 2017 |work=The Daily Star}}</ref>
==Personal life and death== Amalesh's family consists of his wife and two sons.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thenewgeneration.ca/news/details/117009 |script-title=bn:স্বাধীন বাংলা ফুটবল দলের খেলোয়াড় অমলেশ সেন পরলোকগমন করেছেন |website=স্বাধীন বাংলা ফুটবল দলের খেলোয়াড় অমলেশ সেন পরলোকগমন করেছেন -Deshebideshe}}</ref>
On 7 October 2017, Amalesh died after suffering a heart attack during a training session with [[Abahani Limited Dhaka]]. He was admitted to the [[Bangladesh Medical College Hospital]] where he was declared dead.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://archive.dhakatribune.com/sport/football/2017/10/07/former-bangladesh-footballer-amalesh-sen-no |title=Former Bangladesh footballer and Abahani coach Amalesh Sen no more |date=7 October 2017 |work=Dhaka Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/pm-mourns-death-of-amalesh-sen-1507461024 |title=PM mourns death of Amalesh Sen |work=The Financial Express}}</ref>
==Legacy== In 1998 Amalesh received the [[National Sports Awards (Bangladesh)|National Sports Awards]], for his contribution to the [[Bangladesh national football team]] & [[Shadhin Bangla Football Team]].<ref name="auto"/>
On 5 January 2018, Abahani emerged as the champion of the Bangladesh Premier League for the record sixth time. The club dedicated the title to the late Amalesh.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/sport/football/2018/01/06/abahani-dedicate-title-amalesh/ |title=Abahani dedicate title to Amalesh |work=Dhaka Tribune |access-date=6 February 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sen, Amalesh}} [[Category:1943 births]] [[Category:2017 deaths]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Bogra]] [[Category:Bangladeshi men's footballers]] [[Category:Bangladesh men's international footballers]] [[Category:Men's association football midfielders]] [[Category:Bangladeshi football managers]] [[Category:Bangladeshi Hindus]] [[Category:Recipients of the Bangladesh National Sports Award]] [[Category:Abahani Limited Dhaka players]] [[Category:Mohammedan SC (Dhaka) players]] [[Category:Bangladesh Football League managers]] [[Category:Abahani Limited Dhaka managers]] [[Category:Footballers from Rajshahi Division]] [[Category:Bangladeshi expatriate sportspeople in India]] [[Category:20th-century Bangladeshi sportsmen]] [[Category:20th-century Pakistani sportsmen]]