Antonio Habas: it is not good for ISL that a coach in first position is sacked

The Spaniard insisted that the team is only focused on the next game.

ATK will look to continue their winning run in the Indian Super League when they host Odisha FC on Saturday.  Antonio Habas and Co. will be eager to grab all three points and leapfrog FC Goa to the top spot in the points table. Meanwhile, Odisha will look to bounce back from their 2-4 defeat against the Gaurs, as they push for a spot in the playoffs. 

Antonio Habas along with his assistant Manuel Cascallana and player Prabir Das addressed the reporters at the pre-match press conference. The Spaniard started by evaluating his team's opponents on Saturday.

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"I don't want to talk about the opponents, as you can only talk good about them or not talk at all. I think they will be difficult for us, but ATK is well-prepared for this challenge."

Antonio Habas has time and again focused on taking one match at a time and speaking about his next game, he clearly suggested that he does not play to draw or lose. "We are prepared to win. They have a good coach and players, but I don't like losing or drawing in football. We are waiting for them tomorrow, well-prepared and ready to compete 100%. We are ready to give our best."

The 62-year old does not want to think about ATK's chances of playing at the AFC Champions League or even winning the ISL title. Rather, he clearly highlighted that he only wants to win the next match against Odisha. 

"I think the main objective for the club is to win the next match. If we keep our focus and win the next three matches we will be top of the regular league and maybe even champions. But, I don't want to think about another thing other than the next match. That is not my idea to think about matches in future against Chennaiyin or Bengaluru, I want to win against Odisha first."

When quizzed about Sergio Lobera's sacking, Antonio Habas shared his opinions about how it is not a good sight for a coach to see his colleague depart this way.

"It is not about my team, but Lobera is a good coach and a great professional. A coach never wants any of his partners in the profession to leave like that. I do not understand the problems at Goa. For me, it is not good for the ISL that a coach in the first position is sacked. I do not want to comment on problems at another club," he added.

Prabir Das, who has been phenomenal for the Kolkata outfit, also shared his thoughts on going match-by-match and not thinking about the ACL right now. He said, "It is better to think one match at a time as the coach said. We aren't yet assured of a playoffs spot. That will be confirmed if we win against Odisha. So, we want to confirm that first and then move for the ACL spot. Otherwise, we may drop points, if the focus is not there."

When quizzed whether he is currently in the best shape in his footballing career, he was quick to acknowledge his team's contribution. "I don't think it is all about me, it is a team sport. I am following the coach's orders and whenever he wants me in the team, I am ready to play. I'm trying to give my best, but if we win the trophy this can be my best year after the operation. I couldn't play last season so the comeback wasn't easy."

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Lastly, the wing-back also highlighted the friendly dressing room environment and Roy Krishna and David Williams' contribution off the field. 

"Its an honour for me to be a part of this dressing room. But, the team has only one boss, who is sitting next to me. We have players like Roy Krishna and David Williams who are senior players. They guide us and we share a good bond. They share their experiences with us and it creates a good environment," he concluded.

Team News

Pronay Halder is still in his rehabilitation process and remains unavailable for the next match. Other than the Indian midfielder, Habas will get have the full squad ahead of this crucial match. 

Head-To-Head

Both sides have faced each other only once in the reverse fixture after Odisha FC shifted their base. That match ended in a 0-0 draw in Pune. [KH_RELATED_NEWS title="Related News | Article Continues Below"][/KH_RELATED_NEWS]

Probable Lineup

Arindam; Pritam, Agus, Rathi; Prabir, Javi, Mandi, Jayesh, Soosairaj; Edu, Krishna

Broadcast

The match will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network from 7:30 PM IST on Saturday. While streaming services will be available on Hotstar and Jio TV .