 You've tuned in to another episode of 420grams on newsclake.in and today joining us via Skype is the man who was recently the head coach of the India under-23 side that played in the AFC under-23 qualifiers. Mr Derek Pereira currently, technical director of FC Goa. Sir, thank you so much for your time and thank you so much for joining us in the middle of the Hero Super Cup. I'm not going to talk about ISL but talk about that recent assignment even though it was only two games old. Five goals conceded, two games lost, so the paper of course tells you something but as a coach sir, what are your key takeaways from that? You're not keeping in mind the end result. Yeah. Hi, Arjun. Thanks for having me on the show. First of all, when I was asked to take up this assignment, I was clearly told about the challenges, about the hurdles to build up this team. First of all, I would say that in short time, I had to select the team and find the best playing level in just a few sessions. Before going to the tournament, we had a practice friendly against Qatar which was our excellent plan to see what is our strength before going into the tournament. The challenges ahead were like players, the whole squad getting into the, I mean getting them together because they were playing ISL matches and the I-League matches going on during that time. So we just got to two sessions before the Qatar match with four of our main players and missing out on that, that is Nawaz, Anirut Thapa, Nishu and Bora. So we went in with the young side which was the average age was 20. Most of the players were from the Indian Airways side who played the under 17 World Cup. It was, for me it was a very interesting one. Getting this assignment was like, for me it was for the first time training a national side. I mean always associated with clubs. I was a little anxious to know how to go about it but with the support staff and the players' response was excellent. So when we went to Qatar we had some good sessions and before the match, I was a bit anxious to know how the players would respond. But as the match started and it progressed, they started believing in themselves, we put up a good show, good performance. The best part was like we worked on a style to keep the ball which is in modern football the trend. To keep the ball and to press highs. So we were working on those lines and the players responded very well. In the Qatar match, I would say we created more chances than the opponents because we defended well and we were very good on the counters. We were keeping the ball with us and trying to create opportunities which we did to a certain extent. It was a good match but unfortunately due to our own mistake, we conceded a goal. From there on, we came back, we had to release the players for the finals of ISL and some qualifying round of the Super Cup. So we had to release the players again. We assembled just one, the whole squad assembled just one day before we could travel to Uzbekistan. We arrived in Uzbekistan just 24 hours before the match and we could see that it took the toll on the peers, the travelling part, 24 hours travelled from here to Uzbekistan and then played the very next day against a tough opponent like Uzbekistan who are the champions of Asia. I think considering all these challenges, I think the performance wise we performed well. We could have done better result wise if we had to convert the chances what we created and avoided the mistakes what we made which we conceded goals. Out of the three goals which we conceded were out of our own mistakes. I believe that if we keep these young talented boys who in short time if they could do so much I think in the long run they'll definitely be the Indian national team have a bright future. Sir, my point I was trying to make in the beginning was not to say that it was a bad performance. I was trying to say that on paper five goals conceded two games lost but I'm sure because I saw both those games I was tuning in as well and I saw it was so much it was so good to see these boys playing and the first thoughts that really came to my mind is that a reserve for the national team is in good hands you know and the style of play that you were talking about sir it was so refreshing to see the boys keep the ball especially the arrows boys the young boys who are 18-19 years old right now and someone like an Anwar Ali sir I was I mean what are your thoughts on this you said possession-based game was that something you've taken away from your time at FC Goa as well because that's what we've seen them playing in the ISL over the last couple of seasons? Yes Arjun we as Goans we have always followed a Brazilian style of football to keep the ball and play and when FC Goa when Lavera came in with the Spanish style I think it was more or less on the similar line so we have always been that's my belief that if we can keep the ball we can create opportunities upfront and you know and defend well it I always believe in this saying it does it's an old saying that attack is the best form of defense so if you have the ball with you and you keep the ball around with you you defend less so that's what I believe in and yes coming to young players like Anwar and Sahal and and Chang-Tae was excellent there were some interesting other players who like young players like Komal and KP I think they have got a bright future ahead and if we keep playing opponents like this where there is a lot of intensity and you have to make your decisions you know in that tight situations they keep improving the decision-making you know and that is there is I mean if we keep doing this if we keep playing against the stuff tougher opponents on a regular basis I think we have a we can develop as a footballing nation exactly sir do correct me if I'm wrong from whatever my assessment was like say when you saw certain Vinit Rai when he plays in the ISL he has about three seconds more time to make his pass but that same Vinit Rai was not getting those three four seconds and so the decision had to be made so much quicker and even though it might not have worked out in those 90-90 minute games I'm sure he's going to become a better player moving forward absolutely absolutely that's what my belief is also the more like a player like Sahal who is technically a very good player among us from you know from this lot he kept on improving match by match from Qatar what do I saw him in the first match he played about 66-65 minutes and then he went on to play against Uzbekistan and then against Tajikistan he was like every match he improved his decision-making his confidence level you know they started believing in themselves what we need to do like I mean we have to be we have to improve out the pace of the ball the movement of the ball a little quicker keep the composure on the ball and after you know the most important thing is that finishing we need that finishing and once we start doing that you know the boys will have you know we'll start believing and we'll be more confident to play at that level so I'm glad you brought up finishing because I wanted to ask you do you think while the midfield the defense goalkeeping everything looks very sorted as far as the reserve line for the Indian national team you suppose there is a paucity of Indian strikers who can play that single striker role that you were adopting in Uzbekistan there are some interesting players Arjun Daniel had that experience being with the you know the earlier teams with the national coach and I went in for more experience in this in this short time I could only you know play those experienced players but if I had a longer time I would have given opportunity to players like Danu and Rahim Ali who did so well he worked very hard against Ajikistan Rahim Ali he you know the more he plays like I kept saying this the more he players play they'll start you know getting better they'll start keeping composure on the ball and they'll know how to finish like for me in the ESC Champions Cup Anirudh's finish was the best finish in this old tournament a cool come finish you know against Thailand so if he keeps playing like that Anirudh Dhanu and Rahim Ali these are the players who have got the potential but we have to expose them to that high level of football. Sir you brought up Rohit Danu and I was seeing the game versus Indian arrows versus Goa in the Super Cup and even though that boy is barely 17 years old sir but you see the way he moves his touch his everything tells you of an out and out striker which has not seen too many in too many Indian players. Right Ajun yes I mean he's young he's very young he's got a long way to go and you know he's technically good he can get better he'll I mean he's very confident the most important thing is there's very confident at this age you know he shows a lot of confidence in himself the belief in him he has is like he keeps working hard he's not just because to make numbers he was there in the team but because of his talent he he was there and if if we have like you know he'll get at least he has seen the level of football there in the future once he gets into the pitch I'm sure he will do well. Sir you spoke about style of play and you said you like the possession-based style of play this style of play we've been talking about this in circles that follow Indian football that what is the right style of play for the Indian national side you suppose possession based football keeping the ball is our style of play and if if that is it sir how long will it take us to honestly execute it in international level games. Ajun see we can play for results if you want results we can play for results and you can play to develop Indian football you know if you play for results you have to change your style of play if you if it is if you want to develop football in the long run and we have to learn to keep the ball with us first you know once you start doing that then players will start developing they'll start making the decision they'll know when to you know where to move the ball when to where to position themselves so these are the things what we need to improve on so once we start believing that like like no this is the way we have to go forward for example I'll tell you you will see a lot of players in Indian football players and coaches in Indian football and in world football of all European leagues you'll see most of the players are coming out from Spanish Spanish players are coming out I mean they are the ones who are dominating world football why is because there there's the style of play is to develop footballers they they are developing footballers footballers as well as coaches you know so we have to follow a style which will help us to develop over the years it is a long process it's a long process we can't just overnight change our style change our thing we will like the boys we during these two matches we made some mistakes they'll stop you know they'll they'll learn from their mistakes in the long run they'll learn from their mistakes when to keep the ball where to keep the ball and and in the bargain you know they will start getting confidence to keep the ball under pressure in tight situations make the right decisions you know with their first touch where to take the ball what they need to do with their first touch whether to run with the ball or tie a tight touch but these are the decisions making what will improve if we start keeping the ball and you know pay under those circumstances so finally we're going to end the interview just wanted to ask you what are your future plans are we going to be seeing you back again on national duty or do you now stay put with FC Goa what is the plan ahead I have I would love to be part of the national setup to you know develop Indian football I've always been thinking about developing Indian football wherever I've been at the club level I've always tried to encourage youngsters you know and always my I've been always talking the same language of you know playing at the highest level for me highest level is play against top countries like you know at least in Asia it is Japan and South Korea Australia these are the teams which we have to we have to start competing with so I would love to be at the same but I've started a program here at FC Goa so I would I would I mean at the moment I'm focusing more on on the project here sir I'm sorry Mary and then I would hold a journalist car key day so I just need to probe you for one more thing no no nothing discussion with AFF on any future plans any anything way for because I know this was one assignment but beyond this assignment now there's no discussion whatsoever no nothing is so yeah that's okay thank you so much for your time sir it was lovely chatting with you that's it on this episode of 420 grams we hope you enjoyed watching it remember your one stop shop for everything Indian football once a week we're gonna put out one video talking about Indian football thank you so much for watching good