CHENNAI: FC Pune City have had a roller-coaster ride across three seasons of the Indian Super League. Despite having a star-studded squad each time, they failed to progress to the knockout stage even once. And the managers paid the price for the team’s dismal showing.
Franco Colomba was at the helm during season 1, David Platt managed the squad next, as the Pune-based side finished sixth and seventh, respectively. Antonio Habas, the winner with ATK in the first ISL, arrived for the third year, but the team ultimately ended at sixth.
The fourth ISL season is almost upon us and Pune have Ranko Popovic at the helm. The Serbian has a reputation of handling youth a chance and that is the direction the franchise are taking this year.
According to CEO Gaurav Modwel, Popovic’s successful stints with Japanese top-flight clubs FC Tokyo and Cerezo Osaka, where he handed out debuts to several promising players who then went on to play for the Japanese national team, was one of the clinching factors.
“I’m proud that the club has entrusted me with this opportunity. The club has taken a youth-first approach this time during the player draft. Younger players are hungrier and give it their all. I’m really looking forward to the new season. Reaching the knockout stage is the obvious target for all of us,” Popovic told Express.
The 50-year-old had the chance to evaluate the entire squad during preparations and feels the players have the potential to improve over the course of the season.
“I believe the last year, the players were a bit too overconfident at times. That is something that I have advised the players against. With the pressure of having never qualified for the semis hanging over their heads, sometimes the players play too cautiously. They need to feel secure and enjoy themselves out on the field. Obviously, performances are important but if these small things fall into place, things will start looking up.”
The former Real Zaragoza coach has been keeping an eye on the young stars and feels they have the skills to shine in the future.
“I have managed in Japan and Thailand. The players there are quite disciplined but they tend to be too mechanical. I saw the Indian team in action during the U-17 World Cup. The Indians have a bit of individualism, which is required in the long run. If they are groomed properly, the future is bright,” he added.
The current season will run for five months, with two new teams joining the fray. Popovic is pleased with the longer league, and said, “I saw matches of the previous seasons. You could clearly sense during mid-season that the players looked jaded because of the fixture load. More gap between matches this time is a boon for players. It obviously needs to be a bit longer but it is a good start. Hopefully, the league will go from strength to strength and we can provide our fans some quality football.”
ayantan@newindianexpress.com