Kolkata : After a couple of successful stints, the third edition of the much anticipated Hero Indian Super League is set to kick off today at the picturesque Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.
However, all eyes are on Kolkata as the city is set to host the second fixture of the 2016 edition of the ISL as the inaugural champions Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) take on the defending champions Chennaiyin FC in what promises to be a mouth-watering contest.
With a little more than 24 hours to go for the two heavyweight franchises to clash against each other, ATK Head Coach, Jose Molina seemed pretty relaxed about the current status of his side. Here is what he had to say at the pre-match press conference:
Question 1: The 2016 season of the Hero Indian Super League is set to kick off today. You’ll be facing the defending champions, Chennaiyin FC. How do you feel right now?
Answer: I am really excited. We had a very good pre-season in Spain. I am really happy with the current crop of footballers and feel quite confident about tomorrow. First match against the defending champions is difficult but I have complete faith in my players. We are ready for Chennai and will try our best to win the fixture.
Question 2: Antonio Lopez Habas had successfully coached Atletico de Kolkata in the first two editions of the Hero ISL. Now that he is gone, do you feel like you’re battling with his shadows on a daily basis?
Answer: Antonio Habas is a great coach. I have a lot of respect for him. But right now he is the Head Coach of another team and therefore doesn’t have much of an impact on the current set of ATK footballers. As I said, we had a very good pre-season and look forward to the fixture against Habas’ FC Pune City.
Question 3: You’re side is up against a Chennaiyin side which will lack the services of footballers like Elano and Mendoza tomorrow. Do you think that it will make things much easier for you?
Answer: Chennai has a really strong team. Yes, it’s true that they have lost a few key players from the last season but they have also signed a few good ones as well. They also have the same coach which is very important. It is going be a challenge for us to come out on toptomorrow but we will try to do our best to win the match.
Question 4: You were a goalkeeper in your playing days. How easy or difficult do you think it is for a goalkeeper to become the Head Coach of a football team later on in his career?
Answer: It is neither easier nor more difficult for a goalkeeper to become the Head Coach of a football side than any other outfield player. Playing and coaching are two absolutely different things.
Question 5: Who is your role mode coach?
Answer: I don’t really have a specific name in my head. I was lucky to play under a number of good coaches throughout the length of my playing career.
Question 6: In the 2016 edition of Hero ISL, you won’t be playing your home matches at the Salt Lake Stadium but instead will play at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium. You haven’t had enough practice sessions at Rabindra Sarobar yet. Does that make things a little bit difficult for you?
Answer: Today we are scheduled for an afternoon practice session at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium for the first time. It will allow us to get to know about the playing conditions a bit. I hope we can perform well once we are out there tomorrow.
Question 7: What is your take on the Indian footballers who are in the ATK squad?
Answer: I am very pleased with them. They are always eager to learn new things and improve their style of play. The language becomes a bit of a barrier sometimes but my Assistant Coach helps with all the translations. Some of them missed the pre-season training camp in Spain last month and missed a month of training. So that might be a problem but I am not too concerned about that.
Question 8: What is your assessment on ATK’s marquee player, Helder Postiga?
Answer: I hope Postiga can help ATK this year. He was unlucky last season with all those injuries. But those are the things which aren’t under your control. He played one match last season and scored two goals. I hope he can play at least ten matches this season so that he can score 20 goals.
Question 9: Tell us something about your coaching philosophy. How would you want your side to play in the competition?
Answer: I prefer my team to be aggressive in its nature. I love intense football. Possession is extremely important for me. I want my footballers to go forward and score goals. But I feel defense is also equally important. At the end of the day you have to play good football.
Question 10: Last year it was Chennaiyin FC who knocked ATK out of the contention in the semi-finals. Do you think tomorrow’s match is a sort of revenge match for the franchise?
Answer: Football is not really about revenge. Last year Chennaiyin win, they won. No one really can take that from them. Similarly, if we win against Chennaiyin FC tomorrow, we win. It is a completely new season… a completely new beginning. So, I would like to focus on the current season.