Originally published in The Times of India on September 16, 2020
Hyderabad: As the delayed 2020-21 ISL season looms on the horizon, Hyderabad FC has undergone many changes. The club management has sought to rebuild the club, unveiling a new logo on August 11. The club’s new logo retains the primary elements of the original crest, showcasing a merger between the rich legacy of Hyderabad and its contribution to Indian football.
The club launched a two-year partnership with German club Borussia Dortmund on August 20, with an option to extend until 2025. Dortmund will focus on building and supporting Hyderabad FC’s academy structure in terms of scouting and nurturing talent as well as guiding its coaches on coaching education.
Varun Tripuraneni, co-owner of Hyderabad FC said, “It’s extremely crucial to build a robust model that benefits us on-and-off the field. We have plans of setting up a residential school for young footballers.” Carsten Cramer, MD of Borussia Dortmund said, “For us, it was important that the DNA of both clubs be similar.”
In a blow for Hyderabad FC in its sophomore season, head coach Albert Roca decided to leave the club on August 29 after a mutual termination of his two-year contract.
The 57-year-old, who had taken charge as the club’s head coach in June, submitted a request to be relieved of his duties following FC Barcelona approaching him to join as a coach for the first team. Roca said, “For me, it’s been a tough decision to make. I will be assisting the management during the transition phase.”
On August 31, the club appointed Manuel Marquez as the new head coach. Marquez signed a one-year deal. “The club has already been preparing and working on a lot of things over the last few months so that makes it a comparatively smoother process for me to settle in,” Marquez said. He last coached Thai club Ratchaburi Mitr Phol FC in the 2018-19 season. Previously, he had served as head coach of La Liga club UD Las Palmas in 2017.
The club has signed nine players whereas 13 players have left so far in this transfer window. A new captain is set to be named after previous captain Kamaljit Singh departed for Odisha FC. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2019-20 ISL season will be played entirely in Goa. Tilak Maidan, Vasco da Gama will serve as the home stadium for Hyderabad FC. The next edition of the league will kick off on November 21.
sportsnews&analysis 