Manolo Marquez speaks about preseason, preparations for Odisha FC and more…

Hyderabad FC begin their 2020-21 Indian Super League campaign against Odisha FC, on Monday. Here is what Head Coach Manolo Marquez had to say ahead of the game.

On youngsters playing a key role at HFC…

If the players we have stay here for long, Hyderabad FC will have a strong future as a team. We have many young players like Rohit Danu, Akash Mishra, Biaka Jongte, Lalawmpuia and Sweden Fernandes among others. We are very satisfied with the players. We want them to show passion and if they play more games, they will go on to become important players for the team.

On a short-pre-season…

It is very difficult. This is why continuity in the squad will be very important for teams in the initial stages. Normally, we have six to seven weeks for preseason but this season, we only have four weeks to prepare. Thus, the first few games will be important in building the team.

On results in preseason…

We had a mixed preseason. We won against FC Goa, we drew with Bengaluru FC, we lost against NorthEast United FC. Results are not that important in the preseason. For example, ATKMB did not play friendlies during preseason but they won the first match. I always tell my players that friendly games in preseason are just another kind of training session. We are in a good mood at the moment. We are building a new team with new players. It is most important to arrive in the best condition for Monday’s game.

On training for the opener…

For us, the first game is very important because it is good to start with a victory. Some players might not play (in the opening game) but the plan is, more or less the same, for everyone. For Monday, we have to train on Saturday and Sunday. We will have light activation on the day of the game. We have been working very hard for the whole week. We have played matches with very good teams in preseason and like I already said, it is most important to arrive in the best condition for Monday’s game.

On missing fans and playing in empty stadiums…

For all the players, this is a negative. Fans are the most important part of a club. If you play in an empty stadium, it is worse. We like to play in front of full stands. I think in such a situation, the home advantage is not that important. It is a pity that there will be no people in the stands.

On competition in the ISL…

The competition is tough. There are no favorite teams. It is difficult to predict the teams that will sit at the top or bottom of the table. The teams are at the same level with the same number of foreigners. The young Indian players are performing better as well. The teams with the most continuity in the squad will perform better.