With 8 points from 7 matches and 9th position in the table, is being in the top 6 now the realistic target?

I think we need to wait a little bit more because this competition will give you opportunity. Still there is time and we need to go step by step. I think it’s a big mistake if we are thinking where we are going to be at the end of the season now. Obviously we have our targets in a low but I think we need to wait a little bit more.

We saw Savior’s impact after coming on as a sub in the last 2 games. Has he made a case for himself to be in the starting XI?

I don’t think it’s only one player is possible to change one game. I think it’s more than one substitutions I think the players are doing good job and this is good for me as a coach you know. When they are coming from the bench and they are showing the potential they have to play in the starting 11 but this is a good problem for me. If I need to choose tomorrow between Jerry L or Saviour Gama and both of them are in a good condition then it is a good problem for me.

Diego and Hugo have been standout performers. Shouldn’t the team be built around them?

No never, we are not a team that can build one team around one player or two players. We don’t have Messi here and I am Not a Guardiola. We need to build a a team. I don’t think this competition is not about OdishaFC or Mohun bagan only. I think we have a big needs but finally you need to work as a team. If you are building one team around one or two players I think we are not in this case. The most important thing is team work.

With no Jahouh, will the midfield feel the absence of a leader given the high-profile nature of this fixture?

Yes, Jahouh is a very important player for us. When he is not there it is difficult for us to play in the middle because he controls the game for us. But most importantly as a player and as a midfielder we are always learning from him and try to give our impact in the game. It’s team work all through from defense to attack and most important thing that we play as a team.

After a long time we saw in our team a complete Indian midfield lineup during the last match. How does it feel to be there?

Yes Puitea, Raynier and me you know we have a good understanding and Coach believed us to put us Indian players in the Midfield. Obviously it was first time that we played in a competitive game uh like this. Obviously it will take time to get to know each other better because for me I am new this season and I’m I’m also learning each and every day from the players I’m playing with. But most important is that we need to stick as a team and uh keep growing and game by game till we’ll get the result.

We have dropped points against high-pressing teams. With MBSG known for its pace, can we expect significant changes to the line-up?

Let’s see we need to do the last training session. We know perfectly the opponent where they are going. They are a very strong team in this competition. Always they have a lot of potential but also we have our tools not to compete against them we show this last season in IFC competition finishing top of the table and losing unfortunately in the semi-finals in the last moment because we won our home game 2-1 and we can do it again we need to believe we need to trust in ourselves. I have trust in my players Kalinga always have something special. Only we lost one game this season and the last season and I think we need to be positive to be confident and hopefully we can go to the break with three important points for us.

Any injury concerns?

No, I have all the players available.

With many new signings this season, is the team still getting to know one another’s strengths? How’s the communication among the midfielders?

Honestly speaking, no disrespect to the players of last season but I think that this season we have a more good squad better than the last season and yes the players are getting to know each other and players are working hard. The most important thing is that I know that we didn’t played last game good and uh we need to improve as a team for me the most important thing is that it doesn’t mean how you start the race it means how you end the race and what matters is that how you end the race and uh we still have 17 games to play and it’s a long process and we need to keep trusting and believing in this team and we have players with a great personality who can change this around and for sure that good things will come and the points will come in the future.

Coach it’s been seven to eight games already and there’s no clean sheet we have. So is it the main focus to have a clean sheet with the points?

The biggest target for me is not clean sheets, the biggest target for me is scoring more goals against the opponent team. The problem is we are scoring goals but also we are conceding not only goals but also clear chances to the opponent team. We need to improve about this because finally football is about balance and if we are scoring goals and creating good chances in all of the games also we cannot concede two or three goals every game and finally we need to try to find a balance between attack and defense also it is the job we cannot put the focus in the goalkeeper or in the back line. The full team we need to improve in defensive situations but obviously it’s one thing we are working on to try to improve because we cannot concede a lot of chances to the opponent teams and also goals.

In last few matches, during the first 10 minutes of the game the midfields look completely off when the opponents try to attack the team so like what are the changes are you going to expect or what communications are you going to make for the next match?

As we know that MBSG is a really good squad. Even they have some weaknesses and they have strength. I think we need to stick to our game and game plan what coach wanted to do us and most importantly that we don’t have to give you know easy balls to them. In the Midfield you have to be more calm with the ball and keep the ball position and you know try to rotate the ball and make them run and then you’ll get the space to convert the goal. We’ll stick to the plan and we’ll have whatever the coach want we’ll do that and uh we’ll try to win the game tomorrow.

Note: This is a transcript of the pre match press conference. Please watch the video of the press conference below: