AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: Dempo SC players returned to their pre-season training as coach Arthur Papas and his team started their preparations for I-League 2014-15; the Club informed through a statement.

“New season is a new beginning for all involved and I look forward to collaborating with the players who were retained/returning and also the new players who I really hope will go on to have a great career representing this great club,” said the Australian gaffer as he addressed the players on the field.

Most of the players were present for the training while some of the absentees were away for the Asian Games preparatory camp in Bangalore.

Speaking to the reporters after the training Arthur said “We have some immediate challenges due to the fact that we will not have a full squad to train with and prepare purely for the I-League.

“This is due to the face that we have the highest number of players from any I-League Club in the U-23 Asian Games Squad.”

After completing a year at the Goan club the Australian feels that there has been a vast improvement in the fitness levels of the players.

“Last season when I arrived, we had almost 1/4^th of the group unable to take part in the first training session due to injuries from the previous season.

“But today, when we begin, we have every player available bar one ready to train, this shows we are addressing and improving in many aspects of the football department”.

From the technical point of view, he sounded positive and hoped that the stability in the team will help him in longer run

“Our game model will become more and more ingrained and we will become even more flexible tactically for the coming season as the continuity of maintaining the majority of the playing group will allow us to train on more detailed concepts and scenarios and this can only be a positive for the coming season”

Dempo SC made a remarkable comeback in the second half of the last season as they finished fourth in I-League after a forgettable first half.

“Our strength in the second half of the last season was the unity of the group and I am excited to get on the field and work with each and every one of them again.

“Success on game day comes from creating the correct training environment and culture and we will be working hard to ensure we are successful this season” opined Arthur.

Sharing the objectives set to him by club Director Mr. Shrinivas Dempo, Arthur said that Mr. Dempo wanted to create a platform for top Indian talents at Dempo SC. He is pleased with the current season’s recruitment as it comprises of the best young players in Goa and India.

Arthur gives credit to Mr. Dempo’s vision and his belief that these boys could become good first team players.

“A perfect example of how we evolved in this area was when we had 8 players called up in the preliminary U23 Asian Games squad. When I arrived at the club, they only had one player who could have been considered for this (Asian Games) squad” said Arthur.

Finally, Arthur had a piece of advice to his young guns – “All the young players have to understand that they must raise the bar not only to be happy at Dempo but also be willing to push the senior players out of their way to get a chance to play”.