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Ahead of the semi-final first leg at home against table-toppers Mumbai City FC, led by Diego Forlan, coach Jose Molina, marquee player Helder Postiga and co-owner Sanjiv Goenka are confident of making a second final in three years. Edited excerpts from a conversation with Boria Majumdar.
Coach, when you came in, was there a lot of pressure on you? Antonio Habas, now with FC Pune City, had a winning record and you needed to come out of his shadow.
JM: Pressure is always there in our lives and it is not something I am worried about. All I was concerned with was performance and I am happy. The only thing I am now thinking about is the semi-final and how to take the team forward.
Coming to Habas, we are professionals and while he had his strengths, I have mine. I was never concerned with what had happened before me and wanted to do things my way.
Helder, you missed the entire last season because of injury. You must be satisfied about being able to contribute to the team in the run up to the semi-finals?
HP: There is no doubt it was extremely disappointing to have missed out last season. As a professional footballer there is nothing worse to see your team perform and not contributing to the campaign.
However, injuries are part of our lives and even this season I missed a few games because of injury. The important thing is I am now fit and am enjoying playing my part in the team’s success. in the teams’ success. We are playing very well in the last few games and are confident going into the first semi-final.
Having seen the way Diego Forlan has played, do you miss not getting him Mr Goenka? You had a chance to get him, if what I’ve heard is right.
SG: There’s little doubt Forlan is a great player. But I would pick Helder Postiga again if I get an opportunity. I am satisfied with his commitment and am confident he will do what we expect of him in the next few games.
Coach, is it a contest between Forlan or Postiga at one level?
JM: Absolutely not. It is a match between Mumbai and Kolkata. Eleven players from Mumbai versus eleven players from Atletico. We are preparing for Mumbai and not Forlan. He is a key player, but football is not played by one player and you don’t win matches relying on one particular player.
Let me ask you a follow up question. You have a poor record at home this season – you have won just one game. Does that bother you going into the semi-final?
JM: You are right about the statistic. But there’s more to football than numbers. The way we played, the chances we created, the attacks we mounted. And in that sense we have not done badly at home. But yes I would have liked to win more games at home.
Helder, are you feeling the expectations to deliver?
HP: I will always like to be under pressure of expectations. That’s what every performer wants. You never want a situation where people don’t expect you to win matches for your team. And to score under pressure is exactly what i would like to do for the team.
And do you think the Indians have stepped up a little more than last year? Arnab Mondal, Bidyananda Singh, Prabir Das?
HP: That’s what the ISL is for isn’t it? The Indian players have done well and are improving. If they continue to do so you can surely expect India to do well at the international level and rise up the rankings.
Coach, you have the last word – Mumbai are perhaps playing the best football in the tournament. Are you confident of dealing with them?
JM: I have respect for Mumbai and the way they are playing, but we have our own plans and that’s what we will look to execute when we take the pitch.
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