You have 90 minutes to win different matches in different situations. We need to decide whether to attack more or attack less. “It depends on the players a coach has at his disposal. The 64-year-old Spaniard, however, did not want to read too much into what happened earlier in the year. Last year, ATK Mohun Bagan lost the Winners’ Shield as well as the ISL trophy to Mumbai City FC due to some horrendous defensive lapses. We analysed according to the individual qualities they have.” True, we don’t have much information about the quality because they have a new coach and a new set of players. Habas said he doesn’t have even an iota of knowledge on Kerala Blasters but that doesn’t mean there will be no respect for the Ivan Vukomanovic-coached side. Does it help to reduce one foreign player? Because, only quality foreigners play in the ISL.”
The Spaniard, however, questioned the rationale behind the number of foreigners being capped at four. But that is my job, that’s why I am getting paid,” coach Antonio Lopez Habas said. Yes, it’s very difficult for a coach to choose every time which player can or cannot play a game. “We have six players who are good enough to play all the games. Now the rule is to play four foreigners and we have to adapt to the situation. “Our plan is the same as last season, which is to win matches. Last season five foreigners and six Indian players on the field at all times were allowed. From this season, only four foreigners would be allowed in the playing eleven. The new foreign player rule, however, may put ATK Mohun Bagan in a spot. But at least on paper, ATK Mohun Bagan are not only ahead of their Friday’s opponents but also the other nine teams in the League. In between, though, they lost India defender Sandesh Jhingan to Croatian club HNK Sibenik.