Hyderabad: Hyderabad once used to be one of the strongholds of Indian football, with many top-notch footballers and high-calibre coaches hailing from the "City of Pearls". Started in 1939 in the form of Hyderabad Football Association (HFA), later transformed into Andhra Pradesh Football Association, Hyderabad football witnessed its peak in the 1950s and 60s but lost its relevance thereafter due to association politics. Till 2019, there was no formal football activity in Hyderabad.
The city's football was revived in 2019 when Indian Super League franchise Hyderabad FC (HFC)was formed. The objective was to bring back the glory days of football in the "City of Pearls".
But HFC couldn't make a mark in their debut season. In fact, they had a nightmarish season finishing at the rock-bottom on the league table with just two wins and 10 points in 18 matches. An attempt was made to revive their campaign in the last leg of ISL 2019-20. They sacked English coach Phil Brown and appointed former Bengaluru FC manager Albert Roca, who joined the HFC in January this season but took charge of the side only after the conclusion of the 2019-2020 season. In another blow to HFC prior to the ISL 7, Roca decided to leave India and join La Liga giants FC Barcelona as one of their fitness coaches under head coach Ronald Koeman.
Albert Roca was replaced with his Spanish compatriot Manuel Marquez Roca, who had the experience of managing La Liga side Las Palmas. In a bid to change their fortune, HFC management has completely overhauled the squad. They snapped ties with as many as 14 players from their first season's squad, including six of their foreigners, and signed 15 new faces for the new season.
Now, HFC are set to begin their ISL 7 campaign against Odisha FC on November 23. Ahead of his first match in ISL as a manager, Marquez is cautious and at the same time optimistic about his side's chances. Speaking on Saturday, the 52-year-old said, "I am glad that I have taken up this opportunity. It is a pleasure to be here. It is a good challenge for the team. We are optimistic about this challenge. Hyderabad FC have many talented young players in the squad. If the players stay here for long, Hyderabad FC will have a strong future as a team."
On rebuilding a new team
Talking about rebuilding a team from a completely new squad comprising new players, he said, "We are in a good mood at the moment following a few pre-season matches. We are building a new team with new players. So, pre-season matches were important to me, but not the results. I always tell my players that friendly games in pre-season are just another kind of training session because it ensures players get enough field time before the actual game."
When asked about how HFC's playing XI for Odisha FC match will look like, he said, "It is difficult to say right now. We still have a few more training sessions left before the game, so we will see how it goes and select the team accordingly. But above all, for me, it is most important to arrive in the best condition for Monday’s game. Everyone wants to start with a victory. Our focus is to give our best on the field on the day.”
Since he signed one year deal with HFC in August Marquez didn't get much time to organise a full-fledged pre-season training because of COVID-19 forced lockdown in India. So, when asked how tough it is for him to a rebuild a team which has undergone a complete change after last season's lacklustre showing, he said, "To be honest it is very difficult. This is why continuity in the squad will be very important for teams in the initial stages. Normally, we have six to seven weeks for preseason but this season, we only have four weeks to prepare. Thus, the first few games will be important in building the team."
Not having home advantage and playing in front of empty stands are another big challenges for players. "Playing without fans make a negative impact on the players. Fans are the most important part of a club. If you play in an empty stadium, it is worse. We like to play in front of full stands. I think in such a situation, the home advantage is not that important. It is a pity that there will be no people in the stands," Marquez said.
