Armando Colaco (L) and Zico: a meeting of minds.The quality of the foreign coaches in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) will add a new dimension to Indian football. What Indian fans will also see is a clash of footballing cultures and systems as some of the world’s best managers from Brazil, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, England, and elsewhere, lock horns for the prestigious title.Armando Colaco for one is considerably kicked about the prospect of some thrilling fare in store for football aficionados in the subcontinent. “The ISL is definitely an important event in the evolution of Indian football. You will certainly see a clash of footballing systems and formations as the marquee managers implement their strategies. You are most likely to see different types of styles – 4-3-3, 5-3-2, 4-4-1-1, etc.,” Colaco told indiansuperleague.com over the phone from Goa, where he is on a short break after helping East Bengal to retain the Calcutta Football League title recently."This is just the beginning, but we have to take it forward"Armando ColacoThe celebrated coach, who has won a record five I-League titles with Dempo SC in addition to other prestigious trophies, has been regularly attending FC Goa training sessions as an invitee and is clearly impressed with Zico’s regimen.“He’s really class, the way he handles the players and the way the players respond. It is definitely worth going miles to see. I don’t want to miss a single session,” the 61-year-old Goan gaffer remarked about the Brazilian legend who played a 4-1-4-1 in the friendly against the Sesa Academy team over the weekend. Colaco said he conversed with Zico in both Portuguese and English as the latter is interested in improving his communication skills in English.The former national coach was also effusive in his praise for Robert Pirès, who is FC Goa’s marquee player. “He’s a class act, his touch has not gone,” Colaco said, highlighting the French winger-attacking midfielder’s team spirit as he went across and hugged winger Romeo Fernandes for providing the cross that enabled Miguel Herlien to score the second goal against Sesa Academy.All in all, Colaco is impressed about the way the ISL is shaping up going by what he has witnessed at FC Goa – the grassroots, infrastructure, coaches, doctors, ambulance, physios, ice boxes etc. “There is professionalism in everything,” he quipped.He however had an important suggestion to make – that Indian coaches could be inducted into the various set-ups so that they could learn from the marquee coaches and utilise that expertise later, an idea which is already being implemented in various teams. “This is just the beginning, but we have to take it forward,” Colaco said.
