Rohit Danu will be one of the best forwards in India, asserts Manolo Marquez

The tactician reflected ahead of a crucial game where a win is a must.

Manolo Marquez will hope that his side can take revenge for the defeat in the reverse fixture, when Hyderabad FC meet Kerala Blasters in their next Indian Super League 2020/21 assignment. 

The Nizams are lagging behind in the race for the top four, with only one victory in the previous seven games. The upcoming fixture has become a must-win for the outfit, since NorthEast United came away with three points against Odisha FC.

Importance of game

Marquez was asked about the importance of the next fixture, given the fact that they drew the last game against SC East Bengal. He was quoted saying, “It’s very important. We are in the three last games. We know that NorthEast, Goa and Hyderabad, between these three teams, (the competition will be) for the other two places. We have to win the next game against Kerala, if we want to arrive in the top four.”

Need to up tempo

The tactician also expressed his views on his terms slow starts and if the attacking tempo needs to be intensified from the first half itself. He said, “I think in both games (against SC East Bengal and Bengaluru) we were losing the game. I think we repeat the history, we dominate the first half, we are not able to score the first goal and finally its the other team who scores before us.

"In the final minutes, we played with a lot of risk and if you play with this risk from the beginning of the game, you have more possibilities to lose than win the game. This is my way of looking at football, I understand and respect that other people can look at football in another way.” he further opined.

Approach against Kerala

The Spaniard also answered a question pertaining to the approach his team must take against KBFC. He said, “All the other teams, including Kerala who are second from bottom, all the teams can climb positions in the table.

"We will play against Kerala with our style because we are 8-9 games unbeaten, but six of them have been draws. But, we have to continue in the same line and try to win the game.”

A word on Aridane Santana

Manolo Marquez also presented his views on striker Aridane Santana, who scored a vital goal in injury-time against East Bengal to snatch a point for his side. The tactician said, “I think Aridane is a very good center-forward, he is a very important player, inside and outside the pitch. I think he is a fantastic player and a fantastic person.”

Rohit Danu’s growing influence

The 52-year-old also presented his opinion regarding youngster Rohit Danu, who has shown signs of brilliance after coming on from the bench. On whether he deserves to play more minutes, Marquez said, “Step-by-step yes. But, I think in my opinion, the best season for Rohit Danu will be the next.

"I think he has a lot of talent. For me, he is one of my preferred players because I think he will be one of the best forwards in India for a long time.”

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