2020-21 ISL: Odisha FC begin pre-season training for the upcoming season
Odisha FC becomes the latest side to make the trip to Goa for their pre-season ahead of the 2020-21 Indian Super League in Betalbatim, Goa. With all safety norms and protocols being adhered to, the Indian players in the Odisha squad began their training under the watchful eyes of assistant coach Steven Dias.
Reports also go on to suggest that overseas players Steven Taylor and Diego Mauricio have checked into the team hotel while goalkeeping coach Rogerio Ramos and Brazilian forward Marcelinho have arrived in India
Excited and delighted to be back in training: Odisha FC assistant coach Steven Dias
Former India international and Odisha FC assistant coach Steven Dias was pleased to have gotten back to training, stating that he was excited and delighted that the wait to begin training was over.
"I am very excited and delighted that we have finally started on-field training and I am sure that the players must have been waiting for the same as well. They have worked hard in their respective rooms, following the fitness training guidelines by our strength and conditioning coach Joan (Casanova). We all are looking forward to it," said Steven Dias.
Odisha FC's head of football operations, Abhik Chatterjee, explained:
"This training session was a very special one for all the players and the staff because everybody set foot on the pitch after a long period of time. The joy and the enthusiasm that the players had was very visible in the training session. Everybody was just grateful to be practising and training again."
"Hopefully, the players can keep this level of commitment and enthusiasm going as we will look to go from strength to strength in our pre-season training sessions under head coach Stuart Baxter soon. We will prepare and give our best in the Indian Super League this season," Chatterjee added.
Odisha FC will be hoping for a better outing from the previous season of the ISL, where they finished in the sixth position with seven wins from 18 matches.