Tactics are a lie: Delhi Dynamos' Roberto Carlos on playing, winning and his star players

Whether it’s getting annoyed at having to convince journalists that language won’t be a barrier between him and his players, telling the media that he didn’t like the way he was spoken to by India head coach Stephen Constantine, or discussing tactics which don’t really exist, Roberto Carlos’ press conferences have been just as unpredictable (and fun) as his freekicks used to be. On Tuesday, in the pre-match press conference ahead of Delhi Dynamos’ Indian Super League clash against FC Pune City, Carlos’ answers veered from serious to hilarious. Till he was flanked by a humongous bodyguard, who was there to deny selfie requests from the press, he exuded a refreshing confidence. [caption id=“attachment_2468084” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Roberto Carlos. ISL[/caption] When asked why he changed his starting eleven around so much in the two games he has managed, Carlos said: “I’m doing what [David] Platt is doing with Pune. He changed five players, I changed three. So…” But Carlos hinted that things may not change too much in terms of the starting eleven on match-day, borrowing a phrase from Brazilian football, which was translated by Delhi’s media manager as: “Teams which are winning, we should not change.” As for the chances of him playing, Carlos said nonchalantly that his finger fracture hurts sometimes and if he doesn’t feel that the team needs him, he won’t come on. “We were winning against Chennaiyin FC, so I didnt have to go in. Against FC Goa, I saw they needed my help so I got on to organise things. I couldn’t change that result (Goa 2-1 Delhi) but I hope to play (against Pune),” the World Cup winner said. But perhaps his most interesting answer was the one about tactics. Firstpost asked him whether he would stick to the same Brazilian phrase of not changing winning formulas when it came to strategy, and Carlos said: “Take a photo of the team before the game, then take a photo of the team after the game (makes flashbulb sign). You cant figure out the tactics from them can you? My belief is that the best tactic is the one which wins.” “On paper, it looks beautiful (pretends to look at a imaginary paper on the desk) but when you play on field, left back is running here and there (points vociferously) and it’s all a mess,” the 42-year-old took a pause here and then said: “Tactics is a lie.” A lie? Carlos laughed and says, “Yes, a lie. It’s all about quality.” Carlos has played a brand of football which is very fluid and a lot of interchanging of positions. As he said, his training sessions are very ‘intense’, but Delhi have so far failed to hit top gear despite signing top names like John Arne Riise and Florent Malouda. Both players have so far failed to light up the league. “Malouda and Riise are two leaders – Riise knows he can be better but they are both excellent pros. Still, in the Indian Super League, they can do more. The pressure (for them) is normal like at any club. But they’re my captains and they give the feedback and experience to the youngsters,” Carlos said. He said that he had utmost respect for a team which has won its two matches so far, and knew the difficulties his team would face against Pune. But according to Carlos, every team in the ISL deserved to be champions. Carlos’mission is simple: “We want to go from 4th to 3rd to 2nd and 1st. That’s what we want.” He also said that if it were up to him, he would field 10 Indians on the pitch. “If my foreigners get injured then of course I have no problem putting in an Indian. But more than results, it’s their learning that matters – which I can’t give them as much as I want because then it will be too much for them in too little time. But the atmosphere is different in Delhi Dynamos because we are a family and everyone gets along very well. We are not Real or Barcelona, but if it is a family, a tight group, our goal is the trophy – and a picture (makes shape of frame) with the trophy,” he said.