I believe this Dempo team can do a lot more: Samir

Margao: Dempo SC grabbed everyone’s attention with fighting draws against Kolkata giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, but coach Samir Naik isn’t surprised.“Dempo have been doing quite well for the last few years,” said Naik, a club stalwart and former international who won five national league titles.

“These performances have not happened overnight.

We’ve won the (local) league, secured back-to-back promotions in third and second division (I-League). It wasn’t easy playing at odd times and with different temperatures. The players delivered.Dempo, if anyone needs reminding, have a record that’s the envy of many. Between 2004 and 2012, the club won five national league titles in a run that has not been matched in recent times.

Naik was part of that dream team, but since pulling out of the I-League in protest in 2016, the club has changed direction.Now, there are no stars, no foreigners, and the team comprises largely of academy graduates. There are no recognized names either; in the current squad, only Mohamed Ali, 33, has played in the Indian Super League (ISL), while Amay Morajkar made a solitary appearance for Bengaluru FC in the top tier of Indian football.

The player budget so far? A modest Rs 95 lakh, lower than individual annual salaries of many players in the ISL.So when Dempo were drawn in the same group as Bagan and East Bengal as a late replacement for RKFC, Naik knew what his team was up against. The odds were stacked against them, there were no foreign signings, but belief was never in short supply.“Even before our participation was confirmed, I knew we would be included since the tournament was happening in Goa and there were a few hesitant clubs.

We kept preparing. The boys were waiting for this challenge. In fact, they wanted to prove themselves, that they belong to a better league. Their performances stem from that desire to succeed at a higher level,” said Naik.The desire has kept Dempo alive in the tournament. They have two points from two draws against the Kolkata giants, and even though they are still only third in the group, the Goan side is still in the fray for a semifinal spot.For that to happen, Dempo must defeat Chennaiyin FC by a margin of at least five goals at Bambolim on Friday and hope neither of the Big 2 comes up trumps in the day’s other match at Fatorda.It’s a tough ask but still a possibility, something that excites Naik more than what he achieved on the field as a player with the longest career at Dempo.“It’s not easy for us against Chennaiyin. They have no foreign players, but they have India players like Irfan (Yadwad) and Farukh (Choudhary) besides players with plenty of experience in the ISL.

They have all tasted top-level football. Ours is still a young side, still learning, trying to adapt to the demands (of top-level football),” said Naik.Against East Bengal, where they secured a late 2-2 draw, Naik said the players “did not have much confidence”. In the next game, they were “much more confident”, held on to the ball and almost snatched a win at the end.There’s more to come, feels the coach.“I believe this team can do a lot more,” said Naik. “What we have seen is only 20% of their capability. They can play better.”