In solely the primary season in India, Portuguese soccer supervisor Carlos Vaz Pinto has taken Indian soccer by storm. At the very begin of the I-League 2022-23 season, the then newly-appointed Sreenidi Deccan FC coach Carlos had no qualms in declaring that the Hyderabad-based membership would “fight to stay at the top of the table”, enjoying dominant soccer.
But the truth that he might be so correct along with his prediction speaks volumes about his confidence and coaching strategies. 18 video games into the season, Sreenidi are perched on high of the standings with 40 factors. After ending third of their I-League debut season, Sreenidi aren’t solely on the brink of successful the coveted trophy however with simply 4 extra matches to go, even have the chance to develop into the primary workforce to earn an opportunity to be promoted to the Indian Super League (ISL) for the 2023-24 season.
Try to dissect with Carlos what makes him so profitable, and the most important takeaway could be his perception and reliance on “dominant football”. It’s one thing that he repeats a number of occasions throughout a dialog. Something that he introduced earlier than beginning work in India and one thing that has stayed fixed along with his groups and him all through.
In their first season, Sreenidi had been a stable defensive unit, however to bridge the hole from the highest spot, the membership wanted to boost the bar, it wanted to shed the inhibitions, and required a extra free-flowing footballing mannequin to have the ability to counter all of the challenges a protracted season and a range of opponents pose.
Leading the change from the entrance is coach Carlos, who in his first season in India, has left an indelible mark on the way in which Sreenidi performs. With 37 objectives in 18 video games, Sreendi comfortably lead the goal-scoring chart. They are additionally third within the probabilities created tally.
What we see nevertheless is the consequence of a backroom course of that has prioritised success and relies on the inspiration of freedom and dedication.
“Once we started, we had a vision that we need to be at top of what we do,” Carlos, a UEFA Pro licensed coach, advised Firstpost. “We didn’t plan that we have to reach the ISL because it’s not possible to say that at the start but our idea is to do well in what we do and the vision of the chairman is to be at the top of the footballing pyramid in India in next 3-4 years.
“To achieve this vision, I had to make our players believe that we can be dominant. We cannot be at the top without being dominant. Our game is not better than last season but different. We cannot grow players and we cannot be at the top, playing defensive football. To make players believe in our idea we need to have that environment and we have managed to create that. Step-by-step players started to believe that it was possible.”
While the philosophy has borne fruit on the sector, it’s the harmonious co-existence of all main stakeholders and collective efforts of the shifting components which have allowed the Sreenidhi Group-owned membership to be in rivalry for the top-division so early.
“It’s difficult to achieve what we have so far. We don’t have one reason for this. There are many reasons for this,” Carlos, who has coached in Portugal and African nations like Angola, Ethiopia, and Kenya, shared.
“First of all, the quality of players. Another major reason is how we planned ahead of the season. We need good staff and everyone needs to be very clear about their roles. The role of the chairman (KT Mahhe) and Fabio Nunes Ferreira (technical director) is very important that way. The way they treat the staff and the vision and leadership that they bring. They have given me freedom and that is important.”
With a conducive surroundings in place, Carlos’s largest problem was to make the workforce play a model of soccer that introduced desired outcomes. Having perfected his philosophy of dominant soccer over time, the 48-year-old coach simply needed to twist it to satisfy the calls for of Indian soccer.
Carlos, who has a level in bodily schooling, performed for the Sport Club of Penalva do Castelo in Portugal and has been a full-time coach since 2008, successful the FKF President’s Cup in Kenya and the SuperCup in Ethiopia. During this time, he additionally labored with former Chelsea supervisor Andre Villas-Boas whose imprints could possibly be seen in Pinto’s work.
“During my Masters, I wrote a thesis on offensive transition and for that, I borrowed one of the ideas from Andre Villas-Boas. He started his coaching at Académica de Coimbra, a top-division team in Portugal. When he came in 2010 to Coimbra, I was at the club as technical director of the academy and also under-19 team coach. We were very close during that time and we use to have a lot of conversations. For him, it’s important that transitions always be aggressive. That doesn’t mean being physical. Aggressive is when you get the ball, you want to score. When you don’t have the ball, you press and try to get the ball back because you want to dominate the game. I read a lot about offensive and defensive transitions but I also bring this idea from practice, from informal conversations with Villas-Boas,” defined Carlos.
“I have built my philosophy, my idea, and my methodology from these experiences and learning but I also adapt to the club and environment. I have one pattern for my game and teams but there are adjustments according to club, league, and opposition. I don’t change my model of the game but I change my plan according to my opposition. There are some characteristics like being dominant that we don’t change but how we will do it against a particular opponent also depends on who we are going to face.”
Besides attacking and proactive soccer, Sreenidi has additionally benefitted closely from the assumption the gamers have proven within the course of and in themselves on the pitch. With RoundGlass Punjab FC sizzling on the heels of the Hyderabad membership, Sreenidi gamers haven’t allowed the stress to dictate the phrases up to now. Just final Sunday, 19 February, the workforce scripted a 3-1 win in opposition to Sudeva Delhi after being 1-0 down. A defeat would have allowed Punjab to take the lead.
Carlos mentioned his mantra of making his gamers benefit from the course of and yearn for fulfillment is to problem them within the coaching floor and provides them freedom on the pitch.
“It’s not easy to change the mentality of a player or a group, because they come with their own experience and have played in past in different setups. It’s important to challenge the players and give them the freedom to be dominant on the field. Once you set up individual goals, and goals for the club and give the freedom to the players and challenge them to achieve them, you can get results,” he added.
Punjab FC are solely three factors behind Sreenidi within the I-League title race with a sport in hand. Thanks to the head-to-head benefit, Sreenidi would clinch the trophy if they continue to be degree on level until the tip of the season, however any slip-ups now might show deadly in phrases of title desires.
Carlos isn’t bothered concerning the shut end. His focus is on the outcomes and the method. Loving his life in India, Carlos credit the peace in life as the explanation for doing nicely in soccer, however actually, it appears like being chill and sorted is ingrained in his DNA.
“I love the food here in India, also the weather in Hyderabad is similar to what I find during summer in Portugal or in some African countries, so it was easy to adapt,” the previous instructor mentioned.
“I know people would wonder about the pressure, but as a coach, I think I don’t feel it. I am the same guy as I was on the first day. My focus is on the next match. When we started at the start of the season we set a target to do better than last season. If you think about the title then you will feel more pressure but we have broken down our target into the number of points that we want and step by step we try to achieve our target. There’s more pressure when you are in a relegation battle but here we are in the title race. We need to enjoy this pressure. We need to enjoy this moment.”
An attacking philosophy formed by years of expertise, a peaceful head, and a capability to make gamers purchase into the system — Carlos didn’t simply make the best noise, his work on the pitch has been a testomony to his credibility. It’s benefit Sreenidi within the I-league title race, however even when one thing surprising was to occur, their season could be remembered as one of the very best for an Indian membership.
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