Ahead of HFC’s crunch clash against SC East Bengal, Manolo Marquez speaks about working with the players at the club, the race to the top-4, the challenges ahead and more…

On extending his contract and the goals he has set for HFC…

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of messages I have received since I signed my contract extension with the club. I am really happy to be a part of this club. We all know that is not a normal season but we are now a family at Hyderabad FC. It is difficult for me to stay only a year with any club so I am pleased that I can stay here longer.

You know football. One day you are the best and the next day, you are a disaster. Even the questions the media ask depends on the recent results. So yes, results are what we are after. Of course, the most important thing is to win but what the players and the fans feel about our style of play is also important to me and that is what I want to work on, in my time here.

On working with the players at the club…

The plan is to continue with these players. There is a lot of quality in the ISL with a lot of possibilities. As a Head Coach, I decide who play and who doesn’t but what is important is that the players are ready to work hard. The players at Hyderabad FC are excellent in training, have the right attitude, are ready to listen and improve and that is what makes people say I am a good coach.

On the recent results and race to the top-4…

Yes, Jamshedpur’s win makes the table a little more interesting. The competition in the league is very high and every team can go on a run of wins that can take them closer to qualification. But for us, we want to take it one game at a time and right now, we don’t really want to look at the league table. We play East Bengal next and that is what we are focused on.

On plans to stop Bright Enobakhare on Friday…

If he is at his best, he is not an easy player to stop. Maybe he does not have his best game, maybe we put a player or two to mark him. But you need to defend as a team and think about every player in the opposition ranks. If we only think about Bright, we are doing it wrong. So, I just want my team to keep it simple and play our best game if possible.

A word on Laxmikant Kattimani’s recent form…

I don’t think we need to speak much about him. He is a goalkeeper with a lot of experience and at his best, he is one of the best goalkeepers in the country. I know some people think he makes mistakes but that is the story with most keepers in the league. I look at Kattimani in training and when high on confidence, like he is now, he is an easy choice for me in my team.