Mumbai City FC head into their next challenge following a hard-fought draw in an away encounter against Odisha FC, 0-0. Their focus now shifts to another away fixture, where they will take on Mohammedan SC.
Ahead of the much-anticipated clash, Head Coach Petr Kratky and defender Sahil Panwar emphasized the importance of staying sharp against their opponents while shedding light on the healthy competition driving the team forward.
Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky underlined the importance of approaching every match with a winning mindset. “Every point is very important, whether it is a home game or an away game. As a coach, I don’t want to draw, and I don’t want to lose. Every game, I want to win. Mohammedan will be a good test because they need the result. It will be a good game to watch,” he stated.
Kratky also emphasized the need for vigilance against Mohammedan SC. “Watching them from day one, since they have been in ISL, it is clear they have a very good coach and a very good football team. We can't underestimate their power; they play good football and are one of the teams that are alike in terms of how we try to play. “We need to be switched on and work hard to beat them, especially in an away match,” he explained.
Kratky also expressed satisfaction with the team's defensive efforts in recent matches. “Yeah, I'm very happy.
In football, clean sheets are very good for everyone in the team, and we just need to build on them. We have to get more consistency in our efforts, but defence is getting better and better every week,” he remarked.
The coach also touched upon the Islanders’ conversion rate, an area that has posed challenges this season. “We’ll have to wait and see; the future will tell us. But it is important for us to get into the right areas. We are working behind the scenes on the training ground on how to improve our conversion rate and scoring more goals,” Kratky explained.
Reflecting on the unpredictability of the sport, he added, “This season has been very different from last season. Every season is different, that's why we love football. If it is always easy, then we stop enjoying football. There will always be challenges, and that is what makes us better. We just have to keep working and stick to our process, and we know the success will come.”
Defender Sahil Panwar shared his thoughts on his time with the team and his performance in the match against Hyderabad FC, two weeks ago. “I’ve been enjoying myself with the team. I have been learning a lot from the coach and the support staff. When I started in the game against Hyderabad FC, I had only one thing in mind – to work hard for 90 minutes and give my 100%,” he said.
Mumbai City’s Nathan Rodrigues earned Emerging Player of the Month award for November after a string of standout performances. Rodrigues featured in all four of Mumbai City FC’s games in November, starting three matches and scoring twice. Praising his contributions, Kratky noted, “Nathan, he does well, but he needs to keep working every day because he has still a lot to improve and to remain consistent in the future.”
The coach highlighted the value of competition within the squad, adding, “His progress has been great, but also if there was no Sahil, maybe Nathan doesn’t push that hard. This is what we like in our team – they are people who can push you and step up.”
Panwar echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the healthy competition within the squad. “This is a very important season for us. It is not about whether I start or whether Nathan starts; it is about the competition we have in the team. We have competition across positions, not just left-back or centre-back. We have players like Bipin and Chhangte who can come in whenever and have an impact,” he said.
