While we spend a lot of time on evolution and also the science behind the tactics of each team plays, undoubtedly the person who articulates the moves, the players and even manoeuvres them are Coaches. It is often said that the Coach is as good as the team performs. So let's look into the coaches and try to understand what they did great & what might be tactically good but has fallen flat and cost the teams.
BFC: Carles Cuadrat
Carles joined ISL at the end of 2017-18 season. In the very first year, he made BFC the season champions, & registered an 11 Game unbeaten run which is still a record and a massive one to break into.
Carles prefers 4-3-3 formation of play, and though his team has got a record of 3 wins & the same number of draws it does not portray the full picture of BFC squad.
Key Positive: Many a player like Ashique Kurunian, Joe Joharliana, Suresh Wangjam got a chance to proof their mantle under his charge and they proofed to be players of character whom Carles has chosen. Also, roping in Cleiton Silva was a huge Sign-in and probably this big signing from a higher league was possible only for Carles.
Tactical Changes: Off late this season, it didn't fare all well with Carles and it seems that the other teams have watched his style and has prepared themselves according to the T. So unless Carles changes his tactics or make some immediate improvement the opponents are going to make a strong dent on the roaring success strata of BFC.
North-East United FC: Gerad Nus
At just 35 years of age Gerad has worked with Rafa Benitez, Gus Poyet like players and has succeeded in taking Ghana team to semi-finals of African Nations Cup.
Gerad also likes the attacking 4-3-3 formation and it has suited his earlier teams quite well.
Though looking at the point table they are at the 6th position, but they have lost only 1 match, similar to the top 2 teams of the list. That proves the strength of the team he is guiding.
Key Positive: Gerad has marshalled his team well in defence, but that doesn't mean they are lacking in Goal scoring, they also are 3rd in the list when it comes to scoring goals. So he is gelling his team well together.
Tactical Changes: Gerad has a forward line which has Machado, Sylla & Appiah and mixing and matching them to the opposition is a tough task, but it seems he is monitoring them & making them play in tandem to reap the best for the team.
Chennaiyan FC: Csabo Laszlo
The Manager who has been Manager of the year for countries like Hungary & Scotland he does not need any additional achievements. But he has got more in his career to prove it. He has served Ugandan National team and brought them up from 181 to 91 rank in a span of 2 year.
Csabo has a preference towards 4-2-3-1 formation and replacing the shoes of Owen Coyle though seems difficult but he can be the Man for the HotSeat.
Key Positive: When you one of the main striker Sylvestor is not scoring goals, he is giving him enough exposure to make things right. Also when you have a player like Crivellaro playing in the middle who doesn't only builds the play but also score goals, it makes your case easy. His bringing up of Rahim Ali is one of the key positives not only for Chennai but can also for the Indian Football.
Tactical changes: Chennai has been impressive in midfield and can make any team suffer in the place where the game is built or destroyed and that can be seen in their play. The sudden counter attacks with the speed prove that Csabo is making good progress with the squad.
Hyderabad FC: Manual Marquez Roca
Before arriving in Hyderabad, Manua has a brief stint with Las Palmas in La Liga and that was impressive. Roca's favourite formation is 4-3-3 but he has changed those formations for different opponents.
Manual is the only coach who has been bold enough to field only 2 foreign players in the starting 11 in this ISL & the result was impressive. The coach who can show this kind of bravery in the field also earns a lot of respect from the players and the players have given the coach justice.
key Positive: The number of Indian players Roca holds in the line-up is surely an envious position for other coaches and if any given day if any team is forced to play with no foreign players at all then this Hyderabad team can truly emerge as champions.
Tactical Change: It says that on a game a change can make or break a match. We will always remember the performance of Liston Colaco while Roca ropes him in the start of 2nd half against SC East Bengal and what a game Liston played, almost bringing Scot Nevil, Australia A league player to his knees.
Kerala Blasters FC: Kibu Vicuna
Kibu arrived in the Indian football circuit last year and has been I league champion the very first year, shows the man has material to take the team to the zenith of success.
Like many Spanish Coaches, Kibu loves attacking 4-3-3 formation and has been known as a slow starter of the league, ut when he gets things right there is no stopping as his records show.
Key Positive: After a number of changes to the starting XI and even the playing XI Kibu has made continuous changes and at-last after 5th match he seems to get things right. They managed to draw against SC East Bengal from being back at the fag end of the game and took that spirit with them to the next game where they win against Hyderabad FC which was quite an impressive show.
Tactical Change: Having Gary Hooper the costliest striker on the side when you make him sit at the bench, it takes more than enough courage to do it. But Kibu seems to play his cards right this time and is reaping from the success. Maybe he will increase the hunger of Hooper to score goals and bring him in to score but that is a huge decision itself to keep your most costly player out of the field.
SC EAST BENGAL: Robbie Fowler
When the sole legacy club of India steps in ISL it makes Head turned. And more-over SC East Bengal is one the latest entry in this league. And mostly they had the least time to even form a team as all other teams were final when they announced their participation in the ISL. And they bring in the God of Liverpool "Robbie Fowler' to be at the helm.
Robbie needs no introduction as a footballer but as a coach, his experience is likely to be judged and all his decisions also as there are to be keenly observed by the millions of the FANS spread across the Globe. And Robbie has got himself quite a team a 7 member coaching squad with him, right from Sports Scientist to Set-Piece coach. And undoubtedly the most high-profile Hot Seat in this ISL is being the coach of East Bengal.
It pains while you are a successful striker and your coached team cannot score goals. East Bengal didn't score any goals in their first 4 games and that took a toll on the team. Even though they started scoring goals, they are the team with the highest Gaols conceded. They came close to winning their game against KBFC but draw the same only at the Fag end of the game.
It is understood that when your preparation time to chose players and building a team is less it shows on the games and apparently SC East Bengal is paying the price for the that. But nevertheless, Robbie has his tasks cut-out, to chose the best of the available and make the best out of it. We hope that the new year brings Victory and luck to SC East Bengal.
Odisha FC: Stuart Baxter
The 67-year-old Stuart Baxter has long been in this career and has coached in almost as different as 8 countries in the past before coming to ISL, which includes countries like Sweeden, Norway, Japan, Portugal, South Africa. He even coached the U-19 England side. Baxter comes in with a long list of the reputation of winning titles and achievements and that's what makes him apart.
Though his Indian experience still now is nothing to be said at large but Stuart can turn the tides. If he gets proper support he can surely make the Odisha team a better-looking team and we wish them a good journey ahead.
For more details, read this::: https://wisegreendonkey.blogspot.com/2020/12/the-isl-2020-coaches-man-who-directs.html
Comments
Post a Comment