NorthEast United FC’s head coach Juan Pedro Benali has tipped FC Goa’s Manolo Marquez as the best coach in the Indian Super League. Manolo Marquez’s team has won eight out of the 13 matches they have played in the ongoing season and are three points behind table-toppers Odisha FC but have two matches in hand.
Meanwhile, NorthEast United FC and FC Goa will take on each other at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa on Wednesday. When these two teams met earlier in the season, they shared the spoils as the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
On the other hand, the Highlanders suffered a 4-2 loss against Mohun Bagan Super Giant in their previous match of the tournament on Saturday while playing away. Benali admitted the loss was a big lecture for his players.
“Well first Kolkata was not a big loss, it was a big lecture for everyone. It’s very important to understand the game and understand how to solve problems when we have them and to control the time after the goals and end of the first half and second half. We need to control all that. We are paying the price this season for it, for the new players for everything but I am sure that we will be learning,” he said in the pre-match press conference.
Benali gave his respect to FC Goa and their coach Manolo Marquez, who has played a key role in the success of his team in the ongoing season.
“About the game against FC Goa, it will be a very difficult game with the hot weather for us. It is great to be here, it is great to play against FC Goa. Always, they are very difficult games (against FC Goa). For me, they have the best coach in the ISL, Manolo (Marquez), and a very good team, with very good players. They know what they are doing. They lost the last game, which means against us they will be keen to get points. Let’s try to make it as difficult as possible and be ready to fight.”
Benali also showered praise on his striker Tomi Juric. The Australian forward has scored four goals in the three matches he has played so far.
“Tomi (Juric) is a great player. He’s a great striker, that’s why we brought him. That’s the most important thing. He has integrated himself very quickly, which is very good for the team. Thanks to the team, thanks to all the players, and thanks to the staff, he feels at home now. He is surrounded by very good players. All the players who play, they’ve started to understand him and try to put him in a good position to score and he’s finishing that. It’s very important for us like Baunthanglun (Samte) is important for us, and Tondonba (Singh) is important for us. Everybody is important in this team. We have 26 players, even the players who travel and players who don’t travel, they are important, they are very, very important. Every player is important for us.”
