PANAJI: Mumbai City FC have been unstoppable this season. With the Indian Super League (ISL) Shield already in the bag, Des Buckingham's side look a clear favourite to become the first team to finish the season unbeaten and then win the Trophy. The British coach explains how he found answers to the problems that held back his side last season.
Excerpts from an interview...
You still have two games left to be played in the League stage and there is the matter of becoming Invincibles, the first team to win the league unbeaten. Is that the motivation now?
We haven't spoken at all about remaining unbeaten. My job in the next two games is to put the best team on the pitch and get the best performance, what we have been doing in the last 18 games. That won't change.
Is it easy to get distracted with the Shield win when there is still plenty of time left in the ISL as well as the season?
This will be a test of how hard these players push each other. They are very humble, very professional. We have two players pretty much for every position and they have challenged (each other) throughout. Yes, wining the Shield is very good, but the job is not done in terms of the season. We still have two games left and we have to prepare for the playoffs. I don't see any need to refocus or motivate the group. They are very well drilled.
Mumbai have been comfortable all through the league, but there have been games like the 3-3 draw against Hyderabad FC and 5-3 win against FC Goa when the team conceded three goals yet did not lose. Against Chennaiyin, you conceded two goals, yet went on to score a big win. Which, according to you were the more difficult games?
I think every single game we have played has been a challenge. We faced so many challenges. Different teams have approached us in different ways to take advantage of us or stop us. We found different ways to win those games, whether it was taking the lead early on and managing the game or whether it's having to come from behind, which we did here in Goa. That's probably the biggest thing compared to last year. Those were the big differences.
How do you react to suggestions that because Mumbai have the backing of the City Football Group, and consequently big resources leading to impressive signings, it's easier to win...
I know people will say certain things, now that's for them, but for me, we are trying to set our club up to be as well run as we possibly can. We are not comparing ourselves to other clubs, we just want to set ourselves as the best club we can be, and if we do that, we have already seen the results this season. That won't stop. We want to get better, and to do that, we need to keep driving our standards to see where we can get. I am excited to see what our journey may look like. That's the reason why I signed (an extension) for another two years.
What are the targets that you set for the team this season?
We haven't spoken as a group of what we want to achieve this year. All that we have spoken is the development of how we want to play and how we want to perform. There is a belief now, real trust, and the players have seen the benefits and outcome of what that can bring: good performances, which mostly give us good results, and the exciting thing is where can we go. My job has been about developing players. You need success first, but we don't want to be a club that is successful for just one year. The aim is to put the building blocks in place that will allow us to challenge consistently for the next few years.
Do you sometimes seek external help from within the City Group because you are unable to come up with a solution? What role have the experts at CFG played in the team's success?
From my coaching point of view, I have access to two main guys: one is Ceri Bowley, who was the head of the coaching support for CFG. He is the large reason I am with this group and I would connect with him once a week, speaking different things, training, games. Brian Eastick is now in that role. These were the two key people for me. They were excellent to bounce ideas off; they would never tell me how to do what we do, but they have access to how we train, our training sessions. They watch the sessions, they watch our games, and to be able to share some ideas amongst that kind of people in the group, it just gives you a different perspective.
Tell us something about your support staff, particularly assistant coach Hiroshi Miyazawa...
When you come to a new country, it is important to work with the people you have worked before because sometimes you don't get very long in jobs. I had worked with (assistant coach) Hiroshi for three and half years in New Zealand and Danny Deigan (sports scientist) for three years in New Zealand. I know his background was here (with the national team under Stephen Constantine) as well. They were very good.
You have extended your contract with Mumbai for two more years. If you win both the Shield and Trophy, would it be better for you to move elsewhere, perhaps to a bigger club and a bigger league?
I have just turned 38 and I would like to think I am relatively young, despite now coaching for 22 seasons. I am in no rush to try and put myself somewhere where I may not be ready for. What I really enjoy about being here, firstly, are the experiences and opportunities that I have been trusted to lead this group, and second is the support that I get from the club and the group. I am in an environment where I am supported and trusted, gaining in experiences. I am a big believer that you have to do a good job in the job you are in, particularly football, and that's kind of where it has got me to where I am. I don't know what the future looks like, but I am very excited about the next two years.
