"I am very happy with the side that we have" - Mumbai City FC head coach Des Buckingham ahead of their 2022 Durand Cup campaign

Mumbai City FC will be participating in the 2022 Durand Cup, which gets underway on Tuesday (August 16). They are pitted against Kolkata-giants ATK Mohun Bagan, Emami East Bengal FC, Rajasthan United FC and the Indian Navy FT.

The Islanders will kickstart their Durand Cup campaign against the Indian Navy FT on Thursday (August 18) at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. Head coach Des Buckingham and defender Rahul Bheke addressed the media virtually ahead of the start of their campaign.

The Islanders have made significant changes to their team in the ongoing transfer window. Underlining their impact in the window, the Islanders head coach said:

"I am very happy with the side that we have. We have managed to retain a very large core of our playing group since last season. We only changed six players. We still have 10 out of the starting 11 that featured in the last AFC Champions League against the Air Force."

Speaking about the new additions and how that would help the entire team cope up with the coach's philosophy, Buckingham mentioned the impact of proper recruitment. He said:

"You try to balance off the development of the Indian players whilst also trying to make that the quality we have within the league and our team is as high as it can be. Wherever the line is drawn about the number of foreigners, I certainly think it’s a good one but it allows seven Indian players on the field. If you get your recruitment right and bring in good foreigners, it should help enhance the development of that group."

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Mumbai City FC head coach eager to continue building on past results

Despite a disappointing campaign in ISL 2021-22, the Islanders managed to make a mark on their Asian debut by beating Iraq's Air Force Club twice.

The Mumbai City FC head coach is eager to pick up from where they left off at the end of last season. In this regard, he said:

"For us, its not one or the other. We want to continue where we left off in the Champions League, which was continuing to build our brand of football and give our players the opportunity to showcase what they can do."

Defender Rahul Bheke, who was also at the press conference, highlighted his role as a senior player at the club. The Mumbai City FC defender is excited to add to the club's pursuit as well as help younger players develop and perform well for the club.