ISL 2015: Delhi Dynamos gear up for second season in Sweden

New Delhi: Delhi Dynamos' star signing Adil Nabi on Tuesday said the team was sweating it out in Sweden under the guidance of its World Cup winning marquee manager cum coach Roberto Carlos for the upcoming second season of Indian Super League (ISL) football.

As part of its pre-season trip to the Scandinavian country, the team is set to play a warm-up game against a top tier European club, BK Hacken, on Thursday.

"It's been fantastic to work with Roberto, with the experience and the knowledge he has. You can see in his coaching ideas that he's been at the highest level. I'm really enjoying it, this is my first time in Sweden and I'm looking to learn as much as I can," Nabi, who was signed by Dynamos on loan from Premier League side West Bromwich Albion, said today.

The Dynamos train twice a day, during which they undergo intense physical workout in the presence of assistant manager Walmir da Cruz, who wants the highest level of fitness from the players. Brazilian and Real Madrid great Carlos and goalkeeping coach Leandro Franco are working on the tactics and technical side.

The Dynamos players had an activity period on a beach centre and had paid a visit to the Saltholmen Island.

"This is my first time to Sweden. It's a new experience and a very good one. In pre-season you need to train hard and also get along with your team mates. So those fun moments playing foot volley and training at the beach. They are amazing. I'm really happy to train with someone professional like Leandro. He pushes us very hard to achieve the best possible results," said the team's Spanish goalkeeper Toni Doblas.

The management believes that such activities will keep the players in good shape physically and mentally.

President of the club Prashant Agarwal said, "I want the people to see how beautiful Sweden is not only in terms of natural beauty but also in its sporting structure. Even in a small Island, football was given so much importance and it was a wonderful experience for the players, too.

"We don't want our players to be strained because of the training, we want them to see the positive side of it and enjoy it as much as they can. The players were very happy and had a big smile on their faces, and it felt like a family trip."