A day after Odisha FC confirmed the services of striker Pedro Martin for the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) season, head coach Josep Gombau expressed his delight about roping in the Spaniard alongside Brazilian marksman Diego Mauricio earlier in the week.
“I think Pedro (Martin) is a player we are all excited about. He is player who will be crucial in contributing to our attack in the final third. Martin is someone who enjoys scoring a lot of goals. We have been monitoring him for the past 2 seasons and he is a striker who brings a different set of skills to the table compared to how Diego (Mauricio) is in the attack,” Gombau was quoted as saying by the club’s official twitter account.
“Now we have two different type of strikers and I am really happy about it. Depending on the opposition we will have the liberty to choose between both of them. I welcome him to the Juggernauts and wish him all the best for the season,” the Spanish coach said further hinting at his gameplan.
Odisha signed Malaga-born Martin on a one-year deal. The Spaniard has more than 340 career appearances for a range of clubs in Spain, 126 appearances in LaLiga 2, 12 appearances in Copa Del Rey, and three appearances in UEFA Europa League, as well as winning it in 2011-12 with Atletico Madrid.
About defensive midfielder Saul Crespo’s signing late on Thursday night, Gombau said, “I am so happy to have Saul with us at Odisha FC. Congratulations are in order for the club for getting this deal done.
“Saul is a very talented player and he will fit right into our system along with the way we want to play this season. He plays as a 6 and comes to India with a lot of experience and hunger. Crespo is just 25 and he turns 26 this year.
“Even though he is very young, Saul has played a lot of games in the Segunda Division A and B. I think he will be a very important player to us and I am convinced he will give a lot of good moments to the club,” elaborated the former Barcelona youth team coach.
Crespo made 119 career appearances for his boyhood club – Ponferradina, 55 appearances in LaLiga 2, and nine appearances in Copa Del Rey.
Odisha to kick off preseason on Monday: The club will start its preseason activities in Bhubaneswar on Monday. The first part of the preseason will be a boot camp for the Indian boys which will last for approximately two weeks before head coach Gombau, his international coaching staff and the foreign players arrive towards the end of this month.
The entire squad will start preparations for the upcoming season following their arrival. Assistant coach Clifford Miranda will be in-charge of the training camp before Gombau takes charge.
