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Sreenidi Deccan FC are the only club to represent the city of Hyderabad in the I-League. They might have had to live with the tag of being almost there last year but if their preparations for the forthcoming season are anything to go by, things might change quickly.
A philosophy that is driven solely by focusing on the process with minimal attention to the outcome is bound to succeed, given time.
The training facilities of the club, along with their home ground, the Deccan Arena, located on the western outskirts of Hyderabad, are state-of-the-art, and the personnel manning them are extremely qualified to do so.
No wonder the club came within touching distance of getting promoted into the Indian Super League last season. However, they had to let that dream go when they ended up coming second in the I-League table, with eventual champions Punjab FC getting promoted.
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Sreenidi Deccan continued in the same vein of form in the Hero Super Cup last season, drawing with Bengaluru FC and causing the upset of the year by beating Kerala Blasters by a 2-0 scoreline. However, they lost their last group-stage game against Punjab FC, and could not qualify for the knockouts.
The philosophy set in place by manager Carlos Vaz Pinto at the club is hard to miss, along with the relentless drive that everyone - the players and management alike- has embarked upon to do well in the forthcoming season.
As Pinto sits down after a hearty lunch- of dal sprinkled with turmeric and pepper, and makes jokes about how his compatriot Vasco da Gama came to India in 1498 for the elusive spices- for an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, it is hard not to miss the quiet confidence in his eyes.
The slick hairdo and salt and pepper in his beard belie his age, but the 49-year-old speaks with an authority that befits him.
Q. Congratulations on the excellent performance last season. How does it feel to be back in India for another year?
Pinto: Thank you very much. I am pleased to be back in India. Sreenidi Deccan is extremely close to my heart and I am elated to be here again. The work that we did last season was very important and now we have to make sure that the process continues.
The philosophy has already been set here, and this season, we need to build on the good things that we did last year. I am excited to be back and cannot wait for the season to begin!
Q. How is pre-season going on? Have you started training with full intensity yet?
Pinto: Yes, to an extent, we have started training at full intensity. However, some of the players who have come with injuries have had to work as per their own programmes. The I-League might begin in mid-October, so we still have some time.
Also, the players who ended last season with injuries started a week before the others did, and this helped them come to top shape by the time the others began. So we are doing the best that we can.
Q. Has everyone arrived in top shape for pre-season?
Pinto: Those who are fit and ready to go certainly seem to be in top shape. But as I said, some of the players who have come with injuries will need more time than others.
They need more handling and care, and we have to support them through this challenging phase. Each of these players has personally designed programmes catering to their requirements, but the others are in good shape at the moment.
Q. Do you have any plans for pre-season friendlies for the club where you can get a chance to see the youngsters in the squad?
Pinto: We are trying our best to arrange as many pre-season friendlies as we can, but it is not that easy. We don't want to play against other I-League clubs, naturally, and since we don't have a lot of top-flight clubs in Hyderabad apart from our neighbours Hyderabad FC, it is quite challenging.
Our reserves played against Hyderabad FC last week and we played one against Jamshedpur FC. The situation is not ideal, but we are trying our best to find the right balance between training and playing matches in preseason.
Q. How is the mixture of youngsters and seniors in the squad?
Pinto: I would say that the number of youngsters that we have in our squad is pretty high, and that is quite commendable for a club that came second in the I-League last season.
We have reduced the number of players in our senior squad by about five this year, as I intend to promote a few youngsters from our reserves. We have an 'elite group', which basically consists of promising young players who train with us on a daily basis but play for the reserves when the opportunity arises. We are looking to promote them.
We could not promote a lot of them last season given that we had a first-team squad of 29 players, but Fabio (Nunes Ferreira, technical director) and I have taken measures to correct that this year.
So, hopefully, we should see a lot more youngsters turning out for the club this season. We have to be careful with the youngsters, protect them and give them opportunities at the right moment.
Q. What do you make of the new signings so far? What are your thoughts on the arrival of William Alves, and his forthcoming partnership with David Castaneda?
Pinto: I am extremely happy with the signings that we have made so far. We had a clear blueprint of what sort of profiles we wanted when we went into the transfer window, and to an extent, we have been successful.
The competition between the fullbacks is higher than what it was last season, and it is ideal for the club. William (Alves) and David (Castaneda) will be the key for us this season up front and I am excited to see them work together.
William can also play on the wings, and this will help us a lot. I have known him from Portugal, and when his agent told us that he was in the market, we had no hesitation in adding him to the ranks. Fans can expect a lot of big things from his partnership with David.
Q. How hands-on a coach are you with the players when it comes to performance analysis, recovery and nutrition? Do you delegate them to your coaches or try to work on them personally?
Pinto: I delegate them to my coaches, but maintain overall control of things. I think this helps boost morale in the squad as well, as it allows the other coaches to feel that they are a part of the structure too.
Obviously, I don't know in detail about everything, but as the head coach, I try to maintain the balance and keep an eye out for what is going on. I take reports from the other coaches on a regular basis but the decision-making ultimately rests with me.
Q. What are your goals for the season ahead? Is Sreenidi Deccan prepared to make the jump to the ISL?
Pinto: As I said before, the focus is solely on the process here and the outcome is only a by-product. I am certain that we can compete in the Indian Super League (ISL) but we are a team that can still improve a lot.
I think we showed in our performances in the Hero Super Cup last season that we can more than hold our own at the top tier. Therefore, I know that Sreenidi Deccan will get promoted to the ISL soon.
It may be under my watch, or it may be under some other manager, but the philosophy and vision of the club remain steadfast on developing young players and focusing on long-term goals.
It was very disappointing to miss out on promotion last season, but the process remains the same. We can comfortably compete in the ISL, but have to prove our mettle by winning the I-League first.
