AGENCIES, TABRIZ CITY: Trying to build up a generation for the FIFA 2017 U-17 World Cup, Nicolai Adam perhaps has the hardest task on hand in Indian football. Prior to India U-16’s last Group E League match against Lebanon on Sunday, Nicolai speaks at length on his thoughts on the forthcoming clash, the learning process in Iran, strengths of his team, his search for outstanding players and much more.
What is your views prior to the last Group E League match against Lebanon?
Nicolai: Our goal is to leave Tabriz City with six points. (India currently stand on three points from two matches) I fully stay with my opinion that if we played to our full potential we could have definitely won against Iran. But on the field, we could not play to our fullest and Iran deserved to win. Against Lebanon, our aim is to reproduce the performance which we put up against Bahrain. (India won the match 5-0). We have to play to our full potential.
In football, fortunes fluctuate fast. As a coach in charge of a teenage team and trying to build up a generation, how hard is it?
Nicolai: I and my entire support staff are open to learning. Our goal against Iran was to play aggressive and play honest. Honestly, I mean not to engage in playacting, killing time, trying to do dirty stuff and focus on ourselves.
My players tried to do that and were honest on the pitch. But they could not bring on the aggression on to the pitch at all times.
You stressed that the second goal which we conceded against Iran was the turning point.
Nicolai: Yes, it killed us. It was a minute prior to the interval and had we gone one-nil down at the interval, it could well have been a different story.
Any team needs a goalkeeper who can stand up and save blinders. Similarly our keepers need to have the same quality to save two three unstoppable goals in the match. It inspires the entire team and they pick up on that. To me a goalkeeper is one of the most important positions in a football team.
How much is the match against Iran a learning process for the boys?
Nicolai: It was a fantastic learning process. We are disappointed that we lost and that’s natural. In my opinion we have already the potential to compete with a team like Iran.
As I said many times before I reiterate the scouting process is not finished yet and we have two more years for the same. We need to see that every Player in the World Cup, no matter whom we meet, need to have a physique like the Iranian players and be a top player at the same time.
What is the quality of Teams that we will face in the World Cup?
Nicolai: In the World Cup, you will meet teams who would be physically as strong as Iran but tactically better than Iran. When you will be playing against top teams, you will always be playing against top outstanding players. I am yet to find an outstanding Player in India as yet. I am sure there are some outstanding Players in this Country but we need to discover them.
Having played two matches already and with a match left, how do you assess your boys?
Nicolai: I strongly believe that we are in terms of fitness among all the football teams in Tabriz City we are the strongest in the Championship. We worked hard for that in Germany and in Goa and I hope that on basis of our fitness, we would be able to showcase our full potential in terms of technical and tactical skills in the next match.
