Odisha FC head coach Josep Gombau has urged his players to focus on the small details that will help them win their upcoming game as his side squares off against ATK Mohun Bagan in matchweek 11 of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 season at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.
Being the only team in the league to have a 100 per cent home win record this season, winning all four of their home games so far, the Kalinga Warriors stand a strong contention to make it to the playoffs for the first time in the club’s history.
Gombau expects a tough game from the Kolkata side and wants his team to show the same character as they did in the previous game against FC Goa in order to win the game and keep their home record intact as read in a statement released by the ISL website.
The Spaniard also provided fresh updates on Saul Crespo’s injury, the possibilities of his side making it to the top six, and a lot more as he attended the official pre-match press conference alongside forward Jerry Mawihmingthanga ahead of the ATK Mohun Bagan match.
The head coach acknowledged that ATK Mohun Bagan are a tough side but exuded confidence in the team’s players and said that they will head into the game with the aim to win the match.
“For sure, we go game by game, and on Thursday, we have a very important game. We’re playing at home against a very good opposition in ATK Mohun Bagan. Last week, we did quite well in Goa, but the result wasn’t on our side. We were 10 men and it was difficult for us, but the performance of the team, the approach of the team, the way we played even with 10 men, I’m very satisfied with the work put in by the players. With this aim and character, we go to the game on Thursday and try to get a positive result here at home,” expressed Gombau.
He provided an update on Nandhakumar Sekar who has been ruled out for the game against ATK Mohun Bagan while also talking about Saul Crespo.
“We have different options, different players that we can use in his position. We are working, we are training, thinking who will be the player that will replace Nandha but it’s something that of course, people will see on Thursday. Saul suffered a small injury against FC Goa. Now, we are checking if he can be available and (whether) he can help us win this game,” stated the head coach.
Talking about youngster Isak Vanlalruatfela Isak, he said, “He is a young and talented player who we see having a bright future. He is a player whom I personally like a lot and I think that he has a lot of potential. He spoke with us regarding two personal reasons because of which he has to return to his home for a while to (resolve) some difficulties his family is having at the moment. We got permission from the league so he can solve this problem as soon as possible and can come back and start training with us as soon as he can.”
The head coach expressed his thoughts on returning to his home ground to play the crucial match against ATK Mohun Bagan and said that small details will decide the outcome of the match.
“I think it will be a difficult and equal game as the rest of the ISL games. We are working hard and we’ll try to have a good game. For sure, we’ll hope to control the small details that normally decide the game, but there is more than that. For example, take (our) last week’s game (against FC Goa), the game was very equal, the first half, we had control of the game. When we went down to 10 men, it changed the game. I expect games like these where small details can change the game and I hope there are more such details coming from our side as it has happened in a lot of games, and we win the game through a small difference,” mentioned Gombau. (ANI)
