“Durand Cup is The Best Option to Test Young Players” – Juan Pedro Benali

NorthEast United FC under Spaniard Juan Pedro Benali took his side to the semi-finals of the 132^nd Durand Cup last year. The Highlanders have started the 133^rd IndianOil Durand Cup with two wins from their opening two encounters and are on the verge of qualifying for the quarter finals as they chase their maiden title.

Speaking about his side’s performance in the opening two matches, Benali said, ”Well, as you know, these two were our first games of the season. We didn’t even play any friendly games before this. So, it was very important for us to start slowly implement what we trained and worked on. We still need rhythm and it’s important for us. I think we have had only 29 training sessions, we are still far from our peak performance. But the Durand Cup is giving us a chance to compete and that’s very important for our players.”

Benali then mentioned about the learning the team has taken from the opening two matches of the Durand Cup in Kokrajhar and the way the tournament is helping the teams prepare for the long season ahead. “Our aim for the first three games of this year’s Durand Cup was to prepare the team; the style and the way we want to play. In the first match, we faced Bodoland FC who were willing to fight and run and made us work hard physically. They had some quality players who run a lot and physically they gave us problems. In the second game, we played against a team who in the second half was waiting for us to go and counter attach. So it was very important for us to stick to our playing style. And in the last game, we are playing against Odisha FC who play an entirely different style with young players, who runs a lot, play with the ball while changing positions in the wings. So, it is very important for us to learn how we can be better in different situations. We are not thinking about the quarterfinal at this moment and entirely focused about Odisha.“

NorthEast United FC are among the few ISL clubs who have put their full-strengthened side in the Durand Cup aiming for the trophy. “For us, from the last season, it was very clear. We had a meeting with the management after the end of the last season and decided that it’s very important for us to go with all the squad because we need our players to get games on their legs. It’s important for us because friendly games don’t give that sense of competition. We wanted all of our foreign players to play because we need them to arrive for ISL at their best. At the same time, we wanted to put our young players to test in different systems of playing and which is why I think Durand Cup is the best option and for that, we wanted to thank the organizers of the tournament,” Coach Benali said speaking about the Durand Cup’s role in helping his side prepare for the long season ahead.

Benali then went on to speak about having a team full of youngsters who have shown glimpses of brilliance and have the potential to take NorthEast United FC to glory. ”For us, the age is not that important. If a 16/17 year old player is good, he is in the squad and same goes with a 35-year-old. We don’t look at the age, we look at the quality of the players. At a given moment, if someone is doing well, he’ll play; if they aren’t performing, they will be on the side. We put the player who is ready and that is important for us. We have very good Indian players, they accept what we tell them. They work very hard to be better and they don’t feel less than the others. They are integrating themselves very well and the veterans are also receiving them well and sharing their experiences. I think there’s a bright future for NorthEast United FC with these players.”

The Spaniard concluded with an advice for the youngsters, “Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. To be a great player, you make mistakes and learn from you mistakes. If you’re afraid to make a mistake, you will never be a good player.”