Football fans the world over enjoyed Hero ISL 2015 over two and a half months - a period that saw plenty of high-octane action coming from all eight clubs of the league. The hat-tricks, the screamers and the awe-inspiring saves caught the attention of one and all but not many probably noticed the contribution of the gaffers, the main strategy at play. The stellar individual and team performances that kept us at the edge of our seats throughout the league wouldn’t quite have been possible without these mentors. Stepping into the second edition, the coaches, both experienced and new, brought their A-game to the field and took the standard of the league to another level. From player-coaches to stand-alone stalwarts, here we look at the master strategists of Season 2. Marco Materazzi (Chennaiyin FC)After serving Chennaiyin FC as a player-cum-coach in Season 1, the Italian defender took a step back this year and focused solely on managerial duties. Right from game one, he followed a very patient approach, one that stressed the importance of a strong equation between playmakers and strikers. As a result of that approach, Elano and Bruno Pelissari ruled midfield and fed Stiven Mendoza (13 goals) and Jeje Lalpekhlua (six goals) up front all through the league. This strategy bore fruit at many stages in the league.Chennaiyin FC went on to become the first team win five matches on the trot, beating FC Goa’s record of four straight wins from last season. However, there could be no bigger testament to Materazzi’s tactical abilities than the 2015 Hero ISL trophy itself which the Super Machans claimed after beating FC Goa in the final. Zico (FC Goa)By far the most experienced manager of the league, Brazilian football legend Zico returned to Goa for the second season amidst much fanfare. Runners-up this season, FC Goa’s brand of entertaining football was a direct result of Zico’s tactics. It was his flair that was clearly evident in Goa’s style of play at varied stages, be it the three hat-tricks or Leo Moura’s eight assists or a mammoth 7-0 win over Mumbai City FC, the biggest in the history of the league.On the field, his all-out attacking approach was defined by his midfield generals Joffre and Moura, both commanding the flow of play and setting up goal-scoring opportunities for the likes of Dudu, Thongkhosiem Haokip and Reinaldo - the proverbial ‘fox-in-the-box’ types. Not one to protect a lead, Zico’s attitude to turn the heat up on the opponents was manifested in the team’s chart-topping figure of 34 goals this season. Antonio Lopez Habas (Atlético de Kolkata)Habas entered the second season with an added pressure of defending the title. The team suffered quite a few important setbacks early on through injury and at one stage, tasted three defeats in a row. However, the Spaniard’s never-say-die attitude paid dividends as ATK registered three straight wins in the business end of the league stage and qualified for the semis. His special preference for wing-play was seen in Arata Izumi and Sameehg Doutie’s exploits, feeding Iain Hume up front no end.Habas may have failed to take his team to a second successive final but his compelling strategies, translated well by an organised team, helped him cement his reputation in the hearts of fans as a master tactician. Roberto Carlos (Delhi Dynamos FC)Roberto Carlos did away with the “rookie coach” tag after Delhi Dynamos FC made their maiden semi-final appearance this season. Defensive organisation was key to the Brazilian. Most of his attacking play flowed through Florent Malouda and Chicao, and with John Arne Riise as the leader of the defense line, Carlos didn’t really have to worry about a charging opposition.The main takeaway from the player-coach’s gameplan was Delhi’s tendency to win or draw matches in the dying minutes of the game. With more than half of their goals coming in just minutes away from the final whistle, Delhi's possession-based strategy worked wonders and had the opposition under the pump on several occasions. Cesar Farias (NorthEast United FC)For former Venezuela coach Cesar Farias, taking on the managerial duties of NorthEast United was an indomitable task, with focus predominantly on bettering the team’s bottom-placed position last year. Farias wasted no time in pulling up his sleeves and working from the ground up.It was his resilient approach that helped the Highlanders reach a much more respectable position this time around in the league standings i.e. fifth. With the Highlander players providing a united effort, right from custodian Rehenesh TP to defender Andre Bikey, to the ever-persistent Nico Velez, Farias managed to taste success towards the second half of the league stage, earning praise from fans and foes alike. Nicolas Anelka (Mumbai City FC)Another player-coach this season, Nicolas Anelka tried a bit of everything while drawing up field plans for Mumbai City FC. With no signature style at play, Anelka tried to get the most out of his star-studded players like Sunil Chhetri, Sony Norde and Subrata Paul.Tactically, he aimed to get the ball into the box as soon as possible. Wingers were key in his scheme of things, especially Norde. Anelka had given the Haitian winger a free hand on the flanks and this was quite evident from the fact that he was directly responsible for six out of the team’s 16 goals. David Platt (FC Pune City)The former Manchester City assistant manager stuck to his English philosophy when it came to football tactics. His key strategy was to get the ball into the attacking players quickly and have them find space behind the opposition’s attacking wing-backs to exploit. A target man, a traditional No. 9 (someone with an aerial presence like Tuncay Sanli or Kalu Uche) was expected to do the rest. Platt shifted his attention to marquee player Adrian Mutu in the second half and the Romanian striker repaid the faith shown in him. Additional support came from the crossing prowess of Jackichand Singh, Israil Gurung and Bikash Jairu.The Stallions did benefit from the Platt strategies early on in the league when their robust performances – team as well as individual – had them consistently in the top half of the table. However, the team failed miserably in the second half of the league stage and eventually finished seventh. Terry Phelan (Kerala Blasters FC)Assuming the reins from Peter Taylor midway through the season, it must have been quite a difficult task for Terry Phelan to take charge in such a fast-paced league. But the Englishman took this in his stride and ensured plenty of entertainment for fans emanating from his attacking philosophy. Kerala may have ended up propping up the league but they also managed to register 22 goals this season which was better than four teams, including semi-finalists Delhi Dynamos FC.Phelan’s point men on the field were Victor Pulga, Josu Currias and Joao Coimbra who got the ball rolling. Their efforts were enough to elicit good performances from their core attacking squad comprising Chris Dagnall, Sanchez Watt, Mohammed Rafi and Antonio German.
