Not sure about the quality, but the competition very tough: Manolo | Goa news

Manolo’s FC Goa are unbeaten in nine matches and have won six

Margao: Manolo Marquez had an interesting question for the reporters during the pre-game media interaction on Sunday. The team that finishes seventh or eighth in the Indian Super League (ISL) can be said to be a failure if they fight until the last match, asked FC Goa and the national team coach.
Nobody said a word. “It’s very difficult,” Manolo added.
Apart from perhaps Mohammedan Sporting (10 points) and Hyderabad FC (9), two of the bottom teams at the moment, almost everyone else is looking to reach the six-team playoffs. Apart from the leaders Mohun Bagan, none of the others have the luxury of taking their knockout round place for granted.
“It’s very difficult (this season) because the competition is very equal,” Manolo said. “I don’t know if it’s good or bad in terms of quality, but the competition is very tough. The team that wins is the team that has the best players. Mohun Bagan, even when they don’t play well, they (still) win most of the matches. I repeat again, (Jose) Molina has managed the dressing room well, that’s important when you manage this kind of team (packed with star players).
One of Bagan’s rare losses this season has come against Goa, the other against second-placed Bengaluru FC early in the campaign. Manolo’s side are chasing the Kolkata giants for the ISL shield – awarded to the team that finishes the league stage on top – but the experienced coach knows his side were never going to be counted among the favourites.
“Obviously Mohun Bagan are favorites to win the shield but sometimes you have to keep pushing because in some moments they might lose two or three games and maybe you can go for the shield. Our target is the shield .The second goal is to finish in the top two to avoid the quarterfinals (singles playoffs). The third goal is to finish in the top six, because it looks like it’s going to be very, very tough this season,” Manolo said.
Should the league phase end now, Odisha FC (last season’s semi-finalists), Kerala Blasters (playoff berths three years in a row), Chennaiyin FC (coached by ISL champion Owen Coyle) and East Bengal (among the busiest with big signings this summer) will all go miss out on a playoff spot.
Goa will look to seal their top-six spot at the earliest and then, if possible, chase the shield. The former champions are unbeaten in nine matches and have won six, but the draw at home to bottom-placed Hyderabad showed the unpredictability of the competitions.
“It’s always difficult to perform (consistently) at a good level, especially after a break. Obviously we can’t be satisfied with the result, but at least we have one more point. When you don’t play a good game, it’s important not to lose I expect tough games for everyone.
“This stage is difficult, but towards the end, teams that need a win usually do. There will be teams that are in the middle of the table and cannot get to the playoffs, there is no relegation (also). They are professionals, they try, but usually the teams that fight for something, they still push and train hard, this is why at the end of the season, usually the team that needs to win the game, they win, ” said Manolo.