Our philosophy is to win matches: Thangboi Singto

Thangboi Singto mentioned that it is a transition period for Hyderabad FC.

Hyderabad FC will open their account in the Indian Super League 2023-24 with a trip to Kolkata for their fixture against East Bengal FC at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday. The former ISL winners are under pressure to deliver after losing several of their key players and head coach Manolo Marquez.

The club is going through a transitional period with plenty of new faces in the coaching staff and the playing squad. Thangboi Singto, the new head coach, talked about the many changes at Hyderabad FC ahead of the game against EBFC and was joined by Hitesh Sharma.

Here are the excerpts from the conversation with the media:

Need to fight for the glory of the club

Thangboi Singto, touching upon the transition period facing the club, spoke about fighting for the club’s recent achievements in the upcoming season. He was quoted as saying, “Hyderabad had a bumpy ride in the first season but now as former champions, we are very excited. It's a transition period for us as we have 10 new players, but that's football. Any challenge that comes now, we have to fight for the glory of the club.”

Upcoming challenge

Playing against Durand Cup 2023 finalists East Bengal FC is going to be a difficult task for the Nizams. Speaking in the context of what he expects from the opponents, Singto said, “East Bengal also have a new coach with a lot of new players coming in. We have already played against them in a friendly and that helped us in knowing how to approach them.”

“East Bengal are a good side and we have seen that in the Durand Cup. They have two players who have played previously with us. They know us and we know them," he further added while talking about Javi Siverio and Borja Herrera who signed for East Bengal FC from Hyderabad FC during the transfer window.

Need time to adapt

Thangboi Singto spoke about the myriad of changes to the squad and indicated that time is needed to rediscover a playing style. “There have been a lot of changes in our side but the new players have bonded well with the others in the squad. We can see it in the ground, in training, in the dining hall and also in the place we stay. Our philosophy is the philosophy to win matches. For a coach to adapt, it takes time,” he said.

Looking forward to the occasion

Hitesh Sharma spoke candidly about the exciting clash against East Bengal and how challenging it would be to play in a huge stadium such as the Salt Lake. “Salt Lake is a huge stadium. The dimensions are a lot bigger and we will see a lot of support for the home team. I think it's amazing for a footballer to play in such conditions. It really tests you to the core,” he said.