ISL 2018 | I still prefer playing as a winger that I’ve done all my life, says FC Goa’s Mandar Rao Desai

BySubhayan Dutta, SportsCafe Editor

12/15/2018

A mainstay in Goa for years now, Mandar has seen the yesteryears when the likes of Robert Pires, Andre Santos, and Julio Baptista graced the club, before transforming himself into one of the most important pieces of their puzzle today amidst Ferran Corominas, Edu Bedia, Ahmed Jahouh and others.

From just a winger, who was more focused on the offensive duties last season when he ended up with two assists and two goals, Mandar has been seen playing a more mature and responsible role on the left back position. But make no mistake. The new role hasn’t reduced his offensive duties, as he already has registered two assists this season, but has only multiplied his work rate.

Covering for the uber-offensive Jackichand Singh, Mandar is more often the busiest player on the flanks and he reveals that his full-back role didn’t develop as a result of some makeshift tactics midway. After Mandar was seen starting as a winger in the first match of this season in the absence of Edu Bedia, many thought he was pushed back to accommodate the playmaker when he returned to the first team. However, Mandar states that it was planned by Sergio Lobera even before the season started.

“Playing left-back was certainly different. I had done it once when I was with Dempo but that was one-off. Playing in the backline brings along with it more responsibilities. I have to be focused all the time. But I have to say that playing as left-back is fun in our system. We operate as wing-backs and have a lot of space and chances to attack. So I am enjoying that aspect as well,” said Mandar, in an interview with Sportscafe.

I had been training to play as a fullback ever since the preseason. The coach told me that he sees great potential in me playing in that position and he feels that I can be at my best in that position. But I still prefer playing as a winger as that is something I have been doing all my life,” he added.

Sergio Lobera has been highly rated in ISL and that is not only because of his imports like Corominas, Lanzarote, Edu Bedia, or Jahouh, but also for giving Indian football a different perspective. Bringing the closest thing to tiki-taka in India, the European few were always expected to grasp it early, but the main challenge was to instil the belief and skill in Indian players.

And Mandar reveals that the former Barcelona U-18 coach’s USP has been his constant belief in players and backing them no matter what. “He always has our back and even if we do mistakes, he encourages us to do it again to help get better at the same thing. When you know that the coach is behind you all the time, you have the confidence of trying to express yourself on the pitch. The greatest thing that he has helped me so far is being confident in my own abilities.”

Scoring hasn’t ever been a problem for Goa. In the 2014-15 season, the Gaurs had finished second being the second highest scorer in the league with 21 goals, while they finished the following season on top of the table with 29 goals. It was only in 2016 that they hit a low and finished bottom with just 15 goals, when Goa looked toothless up front.

However, it led to the introduction of Lobera in the next season that changed Goa completely. Though they were still competing and finishing in the playoffs spots before Lobera came, the Spaniard added style and ruthlessness to their attack changing their image once and for all. Finishing third last season, Goa had scored a whopping 42 goals, which was way more than anyone. And this season hasn’t been any different with the team already firing in 27 times in 11 games with seven more games to go.

Mandar reveals that Lobera hardly asks his players to go for the three points and always focuses on improving the goal difference. “The thing with us under Lobera is that we go into all games to try and win. The coach has always stated that we would rather win 5-2 rather than 1-0. Even when we are a goal up, we look to build on the lead rather than sit back and defend.

“The coach has brought in players that fit his style and I am fortunate enough to be one of the players that he trusts. Sergio always has an eye to attack and that is the identity of the team as well. Three points is not all that we look at. We look to improve our goal difference as much as we can every time we take to the pitch,” said Mandar.

However, despite their growing scoring prowess, Goa have also developed a weak link at the back under Lobera. While Goa had conceded 57 goals in the first three seasons, the post Lobera era has already seen Goa conceding 44 goals in less than two seasons. Though Lobera has brought in the likes of Mourtada Fall, Carlos Pena and Nirmal Chhetri to bolster their defence, Mandar believes there is still a lot of work to be done.

“We have an idea about how we want to play football and that is moulded by the ideology of the coach. We attack and defend as a team. The responsibility is a collective one, whether it is in attack or in defence. To be honest, I feel we are getting better at the back but as you said, there is still a lot of room for improvement. And we will have to put our heads down and look to where we can improve,” Mandar concluded.