Colaco: I’ll take over after I-League ends

“Yes it is true that I will be taking up the job on interim basis. But right now I am more concerned about my team Dempo’s chances in the I-League. I will only join the Indian team after the I-league concludes and I have already informed the AIFF about it,” Colaco said.

Colaco,who was voted as the best by the Football Players’ Association of India last year,has said he was looking forward to the job of leading the Indian team. “It is big opportunity and I would say it is going to be tough on everybody,” he said.

One of the main things he was looking to break from the Bob Houghton’s coaching manual,was his long ball tactics that the team has been employing ever since the Englishmen took over. Colaco’s Dempo side has won praise for their ability to keep ball and dominate opposition. “The boys have been training under Bob for a long time now but I have my own approach of coaching. I will have to change certain things and I hope the team does well,” he added.

One of the reasons that worked in Colaco’s favour was that the AIFF wanted to install a coach before July 15,and failing to do so had to fall back upon the Dempo coach. But Dempo too has refused to let go off its coach for national duty at the earliest.

“Though they have allowed me to join but I have to complete a lot of formalities in the office and since I am a permanent employee of Dempo. It will take some time for me to get a clearance,” Colaco added.