Ahead of the clash against Chennaiyin FC, Manolo Marquez speaks about motivating his players, the challenges that lie ahead and more…

On motivating players after recent results…

We were not a great team after the first few results and we are not a bad team just because of the last couple of games. We are just another team in what I believe is an equally competitive Indian Super League. We have had some good moments even in those games that we lost.

But the only way to turn things around for us is to put in the hard work in training and continue to believe in ourselves. At times, football is a game of mistakes. But what is important is how you bounce back from it.

On facing the challenges ahead…

Every team in this league is more or less equal. Our results depend on our own performances, more than the quality of the opposition. Statistically, we concede very few chances but have conceded twice in each of the last few games, which is not good. We are defending well but need to do better in a few situations to get the right results.

A word on the individual players…

Aridane Santana

He is a very important player for us. His attitude and his positivity are a huge asset for our side. He believes in himself, as he showed against SCEB, scoring twice after missing a penalty in the first half. Yes, we depend on him for goals and it will be good for other players to score as well. But we are a team that creates chances and I am happy with that.

Rohit Danu

Danu is a player I like very much. He has a great future but it is not easy for him to get into the Starting XI immediately. Young attackers like him need more playing time, maybe in friendly games, where he can learn from his mistakes and improve as a player. He is a smart player and I want to play him as soon as possible but maybe after three consecutive defeats, it is not the right time for him to play and take that big responsibility.

Adil Khan

Maybe people think that I do not like Adil as a player. But that is not true. He has a great attitude, is positive in his approach in training and is a real leader of the team. He knows I am happy with him and I think his chance will come very soon.