A long-time confidante of head coach lobera, Spaniard handling crucial double role as assistant-cum-conditioning coach of FC Goa
PANAJI
FC Goa assistant-cum-conditioning coach Manuel Sayabera is handling a crucial double role at the Indian Super League outfit. Having worked with coach Sergio Lobera for 12 years now, the Spanish duo have an excellent understanding between and that helps Manuel to get the best out of the players in terms of fitness levels and their roles in the team's attacking brand of football.
The ISL has been extended to four months this year with the addition of two new teams and that demands better fitness from the players. Hence, the pre-season training has gained additional importance as the close-season, is the time to infuse strength in the core of the squad.
"We have used the pre-season camp very well. We have been together for over a month now. To start with, we worked for three weeks at La Manga club (Spain). We figured out what a player needs to play like how coach wants. If coach wants players to play football with build-up from the back, then the fitness coach needs to work on skills - physical and tactical," Manuel told The Goan.
The players have individual fitness programmes and their parameters are being monitored in training. Manuel expressed satisfaction that there is vast improvements in various tests.
"Players can now recover very well from their efforts. They can now play two matches with a gap of two-three days. At the start of the pre-season, this is not possible. Indian players also have a very good level of fitness, but it is not the same as foreign players. Various factors play a part in this as genetics are different, training method is different.
"But, we work with individuals rather than nationalities. Suppose one player needs to improve endurance, other needs boost in strength and explosiveness; and that is the criteria to design the conditioning plan," added Manuel, who asserted that the entire coaching and support staff are one happy family, looking to start the
season now.
FC Goa will leave on Friday evening for their opener scheduled for Sunday, at Chennaiyin FC.
