Hyderabad aims to recreate the ISL-winning prowess of the previous season
The countdown for the kick-off of the 2022-23 Indian Super League season begins as the top sides from all over India are preparing to battle for the country’s most prestigious club title. The Nizams from the City of Pearls will be returning to defend their crown from the other 10 invaders. ‘Parimatch News‘ brings an exhaustive analysis of Hyderabad for ISL 9.
As part of their pre-season preparations, Hyderabad participated in the recently concluded Durand Cup edition and advanced to the knockout round for the first time. The Deccan Legion fielded a full-fledged roster in Asia’s oldest existing football tournament and made it to the semi-final stages. They were considered favorites to clinch the prestigious Durand Cup before getting knocked out in the penultimate round by the eventual champions Bengaluru.
A look at last season’s performance
In just the third year of the club’s existence, the Telangana-based side graced the champions podium of the Indian Super League which is a remarkable feat for the club which was founded in 2019. After finishing last in the debut season and missing out on the playoffs qualification by just 2 points in the following season, gaffer Manolo Marquez’s first aim was to make it to the final four. They accomplished it after finishing runners-up in the league stage and were also rewarded with playoff qualification in the 2023-24 AFC Cup tournament.
The Yellow and Blacks faced the giant ATK Mohun Bagan side in their semi-final clash and crushed them on a scoreline of 3-1 in the opening leg. However, the Green and Maroon forces emerged victorious in the following half but still couldn’t stop Hyderabad from entering into the final on an aggregate scoreline of 3-2 in the favour of Nizams. The Grand Finale witnessed a neck-to-neck battle between Hyderabad and Kerala Blasters which resulted in the Penalty Shootout where HFC had the last laugh and went on to claim the 2021-22 ISL Championship.
New signings ahead of the 2022-23 ISL season
Odei Onaindia rejoins the Hyderabad camp
After spending a season in his homeland with the Spanish Segunda Division club Mirandes, Odei Onaindia has headed back to India to show his brawn once again in the Hyderabad colours. The 32-year-old Spanish centre-back is a like-for-like replacement for Juanan who used to be the rock of the HFC defensive unit in the previous season. Onaindia will be reunited with his central defensive partner Chinglensana Singh with whom he had a great bonding in the 2020-21 season.
The newest overseas addition to the Hyderabad roster is another Spanish defender named Borja Herrera who will be participating in the Indian top-flight league for the first time in his career. The 26-year-old Las Palmas born is a versatile player who is primarily considered a left-back defender but can be also utilized as a winger on the left side of the attack. The former Real Valladolid defender was previously part of the Spanish fourth-tier club Tamaraceite where he scored four goals in 14 appearances.
Kerala region was one of the prime locations of the Hyderabad scouts this season as they added two shining stars hailing from this football-devoted state. The young central defender Alex Saji is the Kerala Blasters Academy product and was also part of the Gokulam Kerala side that triumphed against ATK Mohun Bagan in the opening AFC Cup game. The 20-year-old right-back Soyal Joshy has been brought to the ISL stage from Golden Threads with whom he won the most recent edition of the Kerala Premier League.
The Telangana-based club has roped veteran Reagan Singh to replace Asish Rai on the right flank of defense. Meanwhile, the former Mohammedan defender Manoj Mohammad has been brought to add more depth to the left-back position. The 21-year-old Mizo striker Ramhlunchhunga bagged three goals with his home club Aizawl in the 2021-22 I-League season and has earned his break to the grandest stage of the Indian Super League.
Predicted Starting XI
Laxmikant Kattimani; Nim Dorjee Tamang, Chinglensana Singh, Odei Onaindia, Akash Mishra; Joao Victor (C), Hitesh Sharma, Nikhil Poojary; Bartholomew Ogbeche, Mohammed Yasir, Javier Siverio
Strengths
The prime strength of this roster lies in their Indian core which provides the solid base for Manolo Marquez to draw the blueprint for the upcoming ISL season.
The rise of the Indian defenders like Chinglensana Singh and Akash Mishra is one of the main reasons behind the surrection to the top. Akash who won the FPAI Young Player of the Year is widely regarded as the best left-backs in the country right now for his excellence in the defense and offense department.
Sahil Tavora was the titan who scored the late equaliser in the Finals of the previous season and the roster features many domestic clutch players who can become their saviors out of nowhere. Meanwhile, the skill-set of the young artificers Mohammed Yasir and Rohit Danu add another dimension to this Indian core. However, the blend of Indian youth and the experience of the overseas players is something that makes them hot favorites to defend their title.
The Hyderabad Hawkeye is in a league of his own!
The 33-year-old Brazilian holding midfielder Joao Victor is ready for his third ISL season in Yellow and Black outfits having the prestigious captain’s armband under his helm. Bartholomew Ogbeche added 18 in the previous campaign to take his individual goal tally to 53 and climb right at the top of the all-time goal-scoring charts of the Indian Super League. However, it was the first time when the former Paris Saint-Germain striker claimed the ISL Golden Boot honour after fetching 18 goals from 20 appearances.
Weaknesses
It is quite difficult to point out the weakness of the Nizams, especially after a triumphant previous season and a stellar show in the pre-season campaign. Marquez left no stone unturned to retain the same squad but still couldn’t stop some of his key players from choosing a different direction in their careers. However, the reigning Indian top-flight champions have brought down the curtains from their replacements and it will be quite interesting to see how the new signings fare for them.
The emerging right-back defender Asish Rai was a consistent performer in Yellow and Black outfits for the past few years and his absence will be the major missing. The departure of the two defensive pillars Juanan and Khassa Camara may force the gaffer to make a few changes in their approach. Juanan’s coordination with the skipper Joao Victor played a key role in the strong linkage between defense and midfield of Hyderabad which kept them impervious throughout the season.
Season Prediction
Hyderabad has a golden chance to become the first Indian Super League club to successfully defend their Championship title as nobody has achieved this feat before. However, the difficulty of this task is immense as we have seen many clubs like Mumbai City underperforming under the pressure of their reputation. If Manolo Marquez is able to continue forward with the momentum that they gained in the Durand Cup then another playoff qualification will be just a formality for the Nizams.