'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Winning the Dronancharya remains your dream now?
Winning that will be my greatest achievement. So far only one football coach has got it (Syed Nayeemuddin). Many times my name has gone and last year as there were Olympic medal winning coaches, I couldn’t win. This time also I believe I have been nominated and it will be a dream come true if I win it.
Ranti Martins (left) and Beto were key figures in Armando’s tenure at Dempo
If you are asked to list the top five foreigners and Indian players that you have coached, what would be your response?
Foreigners: Phillip Mensah, Edward Ansah, Osamanu Hussaini, Beto and Ranti Martins. Indians: Climax Lawrence, Clifford Miranda, Roy Barreto, Mario Soares, Mahesh Gawli (no particular order).
You didn’t include the late Cristiano Junior in your list?
Cristiano will always have a special place in my life. He changed my life completely and I will not keep him with anyone else because he is the most special player I have coached. You know the 2004 Federation Cup final has given me the happiest and saddest moments of my career as Cristiano got us the trophy but then we also lost him forever. However his words of inspiration always remained with us and later that season we regrouped and won the national league title for him.
Your toughest competitor among coaches?
Has to be all those great coaches from Bengal but believe me it is quite difficult to pick one. There was Subhash, Subrata and even Manoranjan (Bhattacharya), who was also a great player. I am happy to have changed the whole equation because until Dempo won their first title, Bengal was the dominant force but our success later saw Goa become the best with Salgaocar and Churchill Brothers also winning.
Finally, what next for I-League’s most successful coach? Will you be retiring anytime soon?
No I have no retirement plans just yet. I believe I still have another two to three years or maybe even five years. I have only retired from Dempo Sports Club.
So we can still expect to see you at an I-League club in the coming season?
If the right offer comes, then definitely. I brought success at Dempo because I had the full support from my boss and had complete freedom to do my work. If I get a similar opportunity, I will definitely consider it.
“Have only retired from Dempo”
So you haven’t received any such offer yet?
There were offers from East Bengal, Mohammedan Sporting and even JSW had asked me first but all that happened while I was still at Dempo and I told them that I won’t be talking to any club while I am still on contract with Dempo. So nothing about my future has been decided yet but I am certainly not retiring.
