"We deserved to be in the ISL" - Sreenidi Deccan FC head coach Carlos Pinto asserts after win over Kerala Blasters FC in Super Cup

The bitterness of defeat is universal, but the agony of failure right before the finish line stings the most. Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula 1 World Champion, once equated finishing second to being the first loser. Cold-blooded sporting champions across the globe might vouch for the same.

Hence, despite playing what according to head coach Carlos Vaz Pinto was better football than the eventual champions RoundGlass Punjab FC, when Sreenidi Deccan FC had to settle for a silver medal in the I-League 2022-23 season, frustration had to be brewing within.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, the Portuguese tactician substantiated the aforementioned beliefs.

"I feel some frustration (after not winning the I-League) because in my opinion we were the team that played better football in the I-League, we were the team that deserved to be champions but sometimes in football these things happen," Vaz Pinto averred during the interaction.

Sreenidi led the title race for the majority of the season before suffering a string of poor results in the final four matches which allowed RoundGlass Punjab FC to pull away. However, the revived Hero Super Cup proposed an incredible opportunity for the Hyderabad-based outfit to somewhat salvage their season.

Burning with the flame of redemption, both Pinto and his players grabbed the chance with both hands despite being drawn into a difficult group alongside I-League champions RoundGlass Punjab.

Facing ISL 2022-23 runners-up Bengaluru FC in their opening encounter, the Deccan Warriors put up a resilient display to come away with a 1-1 draw. But it wasn't until their second group-stage match that people realized the hunger that Sreenidi Deccan had conjured up within them.

Kerala Blasters are absolute ISL heavyweights and furthermore were being ferociously backed by their faithful supporters. Despite the odds weighing against them, Carlos Vaz Pinto and his men displayed a clinical brand of football to wipe away the Blasters in the opening 45 minutes and secure a 2-0 lead.

Another 45 to go and who would bet against Kerala restoring parity with the quality at their disposal? Well, for one, Sreenidi Deccan FC. They completely suffocated the forward line of the local team and clinched the three points. With just one fixture against Punjab left, the challengers from Deccan are now in pole position to make it through to the semi-finals from Group A.

For coach Carlos Pinto, a playoff berth is only what they deserve after their heartbreak in the I-League. But you don't always get what you deserve and no one knows it better than Sreenidi Deccan themselves. Hence, they'll make sure to take measured steps to the finish line to avoid any stumbles.

Here are excerpts from Sportskeeda's interview with Sreenidi Deccan FC head coach Carlos Vaz Pinto:

Question: Firstly congratulations on the big victory. Can you reflect on the result and the performance against Kerala Blasters on Wednesday?

Carlos Vaz Pinto: The performance was really good and we worked really hard to put out this performance. I have said this before, Kerala Blasters' level is of course better than ours. But we showed we could be better on the night. Kerala dominated for a few minutes but generally, we deserved the win.

This type of performance is only possible because the staff and the players put in a lot of commitment and they also have a lot of quality. I believe that if we're ambitious we can get more such results.

Q: Building up to this Kerala match, you had that great result against Bengaluru FC as well. So did that draw give you the confidence to go out and play more openly?

Pinto: It's always important for the players to feel confident and their performances against Bengaluru FC showed that. But also what we did in the league, we know that we deserved to be in the ISL, we know that maybe we played better than the champions of the I-League, and we know that we can compete against teams from the ISL.

Even in the pre-season, we played against Hyderabad FC and Jamshedpur FC, and the results were similar to the ones against Kerala and Bengaluru.

So it's a consequence of the work we have been doing since July. Yesterday, after the match, I said that my players are ready to compete in the ISL. Obviously, we're not the best team but we can definitely compete.

Q: If you could break it down for us when you assessed Blasters as a team before the game, how did you tactically approach this game?

Pinto: We study all our opponents and there are some ideas of how we play that we never change. However, there are a few details we need to work on for specific matches.

As for Kerala Blasters, we know they use two strikers and two fast wingers. One of the strikers tries to play between the lines. They have two strong midfielders and the full-backs play inside when they have the ball. We study the way we have close space for them and also the way we exploit the space they concede.

I remember before the match I told my players the exact thing about the space between their lines and the key to opening the door was Phalguni. On Wednesday, Phalguni was the Man of the Match and he did exactly what I asked him to do. This made me happy as my players tried to execute the plan I tried to elaborate on.

Q: You go into the game and then you’re leading 2-0 at half-time against one of the ISL heavyweights. What was your message to the players in the dressing room?

Pinto: My message was very simple and I talked for only a minute. There were some strategic discussions about the movement of the Kerala Blasters full-backs. The second thing I said was what I had already said before the match.

For me, it was very important that irrespective of whoever scored first, we stuck to our plan. At half-time, I repeated the same thing whether we make it 3-0 or they pull it back to 2-1, we have to play the same way till the final whistle. These were the two big ideas and the rest were some individual details.

Q: Talking about individual performances against Kerala, you mentioned Phalguni Singh. If you could elaborate on the quality of the midfielder and what he offers to the team?

Pinto: Phalguni is a player who has a skill set that is difficult to find among other Indian players. He has the capacity to carry the ball fast and is very agile. Even when it's crowded, he can find space. He did exactly the same against the Blasters as he knew there was some space between the lines.

The two goals we scored were amazing because, in both, we built from the back and scored without even the opposition touching the ball. Phalguni was part of both actions. Not only he, but even the two wingers and David [Castaneda] worked very hard to create the space for Phalguni.

Q: You mentioned Castaneda and he has been scoring goals for fun this season and even in the last. If you can break down what makes him special.

Pinto: The first characteristic that is important in a striker is that he can score goals. I've said this before, if Castaneda gets two opportunities, he'll score one minimum. This type of player is not easy to get.

He's not known for his physical presence but he understands the game very well and moves into the right space. He's also important to us while defending set pieces.

Q: With everyone getting a glimpse of Castaneda's quality, do you think it would be difficult for Sreenidi Deccan to hold on to his services?

Pinto: I don't know, this is a question the Technical Director can answer better. All I know is that David renewed his contract with Sreenidi a few weeks ago.

I know that the ISL clubs have the budget to pay the clause. If he decides to move, of course, it will be a good step up for him but it would also mean that the club has done well in the transfer market.

But right now, he's a Sreenidi player for next season.

Q: Sreenidi have four points after playing against the two ISL sides. You're one of the favorites to top Group A. How do you feel going into the clash against RoundGlass Punjab FC, who are already out of contention?

Pinto: We have two or three ideas but first of all, it will be a tough match like the ones against Bengaluru and Kerala. They have a good coach, a good team, and also know our team well.

RoundGlass are obviously not happy with their performance at the moment, and of course, want to do well in the final opportunity in this competition.

Q: What would qualifying for the Super Cup knockouts mean for you personally and the club as well?

Pinto: It's very important as Sreenidi are still a baby club and are just in their second season. The club did well last season and even this year, we have done quite well in the league and now in the Super Cup.

If we qualify for the semi-finals, it would mean achieving something no one in the country would've believed before the tournament.

Of course, it's important for me too as a coach. But it's something I've lived through before. I have won three titles before so it's not new to me. However, it's always important to have this kind of experience and something to put in my CV.

But my focus is on helping the club in achieving this as everyone at the club, especially my players, deserves this. Because what happened in the league wasn't good and they now deserve something special.

Q: Coach, with the kind of performances you’ve shown against ISL sides, does it seem like a disappointment to you that the team failed to win the I-League and secure promotion for next season?

Pinto: Yes, I feel some frustration because in my opinion, we were the team that played better football in the I-League, we were the team that deserved to be champions but sometimes in football these things happen.

However, the Super Cup gives us the opportunity to show that these players can play at another level and can compete at a good level against a first-tier team.

Q: If you could reflect on that I-League season, where did it go wrong? You had a strong start and recorded a couple of crucial results, but your poor run of form, in the end, was a surprise to many.

Pinto: Sometimes there are things you cannot control. In a few games, we missed some chances, some injuries to key players, and also some decisions that weren't good.

But I don't like to talk about it, because we cannot control it. We know that in the last three or four matches, we didn't play like we normally do. But it's football.

Q: Looking into the positives, the club were the runners-up in the I-League, now with such strong performances in the Super Cup, where will the club go from here in the near future?

Pinto: The club has to maintain this level. Our chairman and technical director have a vision for the club and have created a very good structure. Sreenidi are still growing but the organization is good and they have given us the perfect conditions to work in.

The foundations are very strong to maintain this performance. If not next season, within two or three seasons the club will be in the ISL.

Q: Speaking about the future coach, could you tell us about your plans for the next season? Have you had any conversations with the management regarding your stay at the club?

Pinto: My contract ends on May 31st of this year. The club started talking to me about the renewal last December but we still haven't been able to agree on a new contract. We will see what happens in the coming weeks.

Q: ..... but are you interested in continuing at the club?

Yes, it's important for coaches and clubs to work together for more than a year together because now I know the club, the players, and the staff and they know how I want to work. But sometimes in football, things change fast.

Sometimes the coaches and the management don't agree on the vision for the club but that's not the case here. Fabio (Nunes Ferreira) and I think similarly.

I can renew my contract but other details like the budget and conditions at the club are also important. So I don't know what will happen.