Indian Super League (ISL) side Hyderabad FC confronted with a bizarre situation regarding with their head coach in August. Spaniard Albert Roca was set to take reigns at the Deccan club as head coach. But things didn’t go well with Hyderabad FC. Roca was contacted by LaLiga giants FC Barcelona’s new coach Ronald Koeman to be a part of his coaching staff.
Albert Roca accepted the invitation from Barcelona boss and soon Hyderabad FC found out his successor in Manolo Marquez Roca. The 52-year old Spaniard has tons of experience under his belt having managed a number of Spanish clubs including UD Las Palmas during his two-decade long coaching career. A defender by trade, he has also managed Croatian side NK Istra in 2018.
In an exclusive interview with The Final Whistle in association with FA Sports Malayalam, he speaks about his preparations for the season, about football in India and his biggest challenge ahead of the season.
How are the preparations going on for the next season?
Very good. You know that this is not a normal season due to the pandemic but we are satisfied with the work of the players and all the staff. We have to be careful because most of the players have not played since February so we have to train in a way to avoid injuries.
How important will Aridane Santana be for the club as he has experience playing in this league?
He will be very important because he played in the Indian Super League last season with great efficiency and he knows how the Championship is. But we need to be a complete team, not just Aridane or the 11 players. All the players have to know that they’re crucial part of the group.
Is football in India developing? What all developments have to be made in the league structure in India?
Of course, Indian football is developing. It is evident that there are a lot of young players with a great future and the creation of ISL was very important because young children in the country want to play football now.
Due to the pandemic, it is difficult for the game to develop this year but I think that it is obvious Indian football is improving. A lot of foreign players want to play here and this is important for all the sectors. Maybe it is important for the schedule to be out as soon as possible because the teams need to plan their preseason.
What type of football do you wish to play in the next season?
I like to win, but there are a lot of ways to get there. I prefer to play an attractive brand of football but if you can’t, it is very important to adapt to the style of your players and the way they want to play. An average team with confidence is always better than a good team without.
What will be your biggest challenge ahead of the ISL season?
The biggest challenge is to get players to a competitive level and you can obtain it if you work hard in every training session with concentration and a great hunger to learn. No individual is better than the power of the group.
Your message to the fans…
The message is simple: We know that they are with us, but in a strange situation. We’ll fight for every ball in every game and our aim is that the fans of Hyderabad FC are proud of us and proud of their players. We want to play with all of them in the stands as soon as possible.
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