Juan Ferrando: Players aren't machines, need time for rest and recovery

The Spaniard along with defender James Donachie spoke ahead of their clash against Chennaiyin FC on Saturday.

It was a heartbreak for Juan Ferrando and the Gaurs, as a late controversial penalty by Roy Krishna gave ATK Mohun Bagan the victory against FC Goa, dealing a blow to their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. The result means the Goans will need a big effort in their next few games to consolidate a position in the top four, starting with the match against Chennaiyin FC.

Referees' decisions in previous games

Despite the controversies surrounding the referees, Juan Ferrando feels that his team allowed the opposition to open up spaces, which eventually led to the penalty. “We are not happy, of course. But, it is very important to think about what happened before the penalties. The transitions in defence, the spaces when we lose the ball, there are a lot of points, the penalty is the last action. But sometimes, it is necessary to think about what happened before the penalty. Why? For example, against Mumbai, we were in a position of attack, we lost the ball in one area and then in transition we were not good in our positions.”

Tight fixture schedule

With matches coming at a fast pace, harping on the loss is something the Gaurs can’t afford. The tactician has made it clear to his players. “It is football. At the end, we have only 48 hours to prepare for the next game. After the loss, I told them that we have to focus on the next game now. This is life. Of course, we learn from the mistakes, but we need to put all the energy in the next game. There is no point in thinking about the past because it is not possible to change it.”

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The tight schedule has been a cause for concern, with FC Goa having to face their third opponent in seven days. The lack of time between matches has been bothering the coach to a large extent. “I want more time. I’d like to prepare the team, to prepare one plan and then a Plan B. The players are not machines. We need time for rest and recovery and then training. I accept because it is not possible to change. In my point of view, I am disappointed at the lack of time for preparing for the next game. It is not an excuse, it is just the truth.”

James Donachie on previous results

James Donachie has been an integral part of the Goa side, marshalling the defence as a centre-back. He feels that the team were hard done by in a few of the matches and deserved better results for their superior performances. “My opinion is that we are better. The frustrating thing for me is that teams are not scoring against us in open play, it is mostly penalties. We had some calls go against us and for us. We play the most attractive football. That’s what fans want to see. The Mumbai and ATKMB games were quite frustrating. It was last minute and there were penalties. In terms of our team, we tried to play football our fans want to watch.”

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Quality of football in ISL

The former Melbourne Victory defender has spent time in the A-League before joining FC Goa. Speaking about the standard of football there, he said, “Every country you go to play football, it is going to be different. You have to adjust. It is very hot here and you have to think about that while playing. There are so many games, every two days here. You have to prepare your body and sometimes everyone can’t play, because there are that many games in a short amount of time. You have to deal with that as well. Every country is different and you have to adapt according to how the game is played.”

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Thoughts on AFC Champions League

After topping the table last season, FC Goa qualified for the AFC Champions League this season. Donachie’s experience would come in handy and he believes that the squad has the quality to put in strong performances. “We have a season until March during which we have to do our best. We need to get every player involved. Get the whole team and whole squad up to a standard where we can compete as a unit. Because we need every player. It is a lot of travel and a lot of games over a short amount of time. So, the higher the level we can get every player, the better for the AFC Champions League. I have seen teams like Buriram in Thailand do very well in this competition. So, for me there is no reason that we can’t do well.”

Juan Ferrando on response from the squad

Lastly, Juan Ferrando made it clear that his players need to improve a lot. The Gaurs are yet to come close to their potential and the head coach feels that with time, the squad is going to be seasoned and formidable. “This is football. This is a new team. New players, young players, we need to improve a lot of details. But, we didn’t have a lot of time to prepare during the pre-season nor between the games. I am so happy because the players are working. I would have had a problem with the players if they failed to put attention during training, but they are hardworking. Everybody wants to help and prepare for the next game,” he concluded.

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