Five challenges Kiko Ramirez has to face at Odisha FC

The Spaniard will have his work cut out for him as the head coach of the Juggernauts.

After a disappointing 2020-21 season with Stuart Baxter, who was sacked midway through the season, Odisha FC finished at the bottom of the standings in the campaign. The Juggernauts have since replaced their former boss with Spaniard Kiko Ramirez, who has been appointed as the head coach of the club ahead of the 2021-22 season.

The 51-year-old tactician has penned down a one-year contract with an option to extend after the season ends. This came five months after they sacked Stuart Baxter due to disappointing performances. However, his controversial comments during a post-match interaction in February proved to be the final nail in the coffin.

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For a club which finished at the bottom of the table in the previous campaign, the work will be cut out for Kiko Ramirez as he takes charge of a rather young team. He has the prior experience of managing several European sides, something that could prove to be valuable in the forthcoming season.

Here are five challenges Kiko Ramirez will have to face in his first season in-charge of Odisha FC.

5. Prioritizing on better defending

Defense is the backbone of any football team. The whole outcome of a match depends on how they handle the opposition attackers during a game. In Odisha FC’s situation, it was clearly visible in the last season.

They conceded 44 goals, the most by any team in the 2020-21 season. Kiko might find it hard to instill zeal into in his squad after such a campaign in the previous year. However, the addition of the former ISL champion, Victor Mongil can prove to be a gamechager for the team. His experience, along with the Spanish connection will make Kiko’s job easier. 

4. Delivering a positive outcome

This will be the third season for Odisha FC in the ISL. While the first season was decent, the second one turned out to be a disaster. As a result, all pressure will be on Kiko Ramirez to deliver a favourable outcome. Last season, Odisha FC set themselves an unwanted record as they won only twice and lost 12 matches, which was the least and the most in the Indian top-flight respectively. 

With many young talents at his disposal, Kiko Ramirez might have an uphill task. However, he must make sure that their season does not collapse like it did in the previous campaign. A decent top-half finish with some electric display will be enough to gain support for a longer stay. Moreover, the fans will be expecting a much-improved performance that they can be proud of.

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3. A proper formation

A suitable formation is what a club requires to perform at its peak. This was one of the main factors why the Juggernauts were not able to display their best self during the 2020-21 season. The club, under the then coach Stuart Baxter, had adapted at least four different formation that season. 

As a result, there was trouble with coordination among players. With different formations, many players were forced to play in positions that did not favour them. The aim might have been to confuse the oppositions, however, it came back to haunt themselves. The fans were equally frustrated, as they were not able to enjoy their team’s matches, which were filled with irregularities.

2. Equal contribution from the midfield

The midfield plays a crucial role in winning games. They have greater responsibilities to defend as well as an attack when required. This is a contribution that was missing from the team last season. Odisha FC had scored 25 goals in the ISL, 50% of which were scored by Diego Mauricio. 

The midfielders were lacking the confidence to build up the play and support the striker when needed. Moreover, it will be even tougher now with the departure of the prolific striker. Kiko Ramirez, who was a former striker himself, will need to guide the midfielders with his experience and give them the confidence they had been lacking.

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1. Appointing key roles to foreign players

This may sound harsh, but it is what it is. The domestic players who are part of the Odisha FC squad are primarily youngsters. This is a factor to be wary of because they are only accustomed to the methods of Indian football.

However, it’s different for the overseas players. All the foreigners who play in the ISL, are experienced candidates at their peak. They have experienced tough challenges by playing in across the world. These experiences make them reliable in any situation, which is not currently available for the Bhubaneswar-based side. 

The club needs to rally in some experienced international players at the roles which could ease the burden of the team. Not only will this make the team stable, but also prove helpful to the young squad that is being built right now. By doing so, they will also be preparing a squad which can challenge for the title in the future.

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