I remember standing on the sidelines during that crucial Champions League semifinal, watching our opponents score two quick goals in the opening fifteen minutes. The stadium fell silent except for the roaring away fans, and I could see the panic starting to creep into my players' eyes. That's when I called the timeout and gathered them around me. "Look," I said, "this is exactly what we talked about. Normal 'yan. You might be down the first few minutes, but don't panic. This is not gonna be easy." Those words became our mantra throughout that incredible treble-winning season, and they perfectly capture the mindset needed to achieve what every football club dreams of - winning their domestic league, main domestic cup, and the Champions League in a single campaign.
Achieving the treble requires something beyond tactics and talent - it demands psychological resilience. I've seen too many talented squads crumble under pressure because they expected success to come easily. The reality is that setbacks are inevitable in any championship campaign. During our treble run, we lost three consecutive league matches in November, including a humiliating 4-0 defeat to our arch-rivals. The media wrote us off, fans were calling for my dismissal, and the dressing room morale hit rock bottom. But we used that timeout mentality - recognizing that stumbling is normal, regrouping, and reminding ourselves that nothing worth achieving comes without struggle. We went on to win eighteen of our next twenty matches, ultimately securing the league title with two games to spare.
The physical demands of competing on three fronts are brutal - I calculated that our players covered approximately 1,200 kilometers collectively during that season, equivalent to running from London to Barcelona. The squad rotation becomes an art form rather than a science. I remember specifically resting our star striker for what seemed like a meaningless cup match against a lower-division side, only to start our third-choice goalkeeper who ended up saving three penalties in the shootout. These decisions aren't just about preserving legs; they're about building squad depth and creating unexpected heroes. That backup goalkeeper became our cup specialist, playing every round until the final where he made a spectacular save in the 89th minute to preserve our 1-0 lead.
Financial resources matter, but they're not everything. People often point to Manchester City's treble and assume it was all about their financial muscle, but I've seen clubs with modest budgets achieve incredible success through smarter recruitment. Our most important signing that season wasn't the £50 million winger everyone talked about - it was the free transfer defensive midfielder who organized our press and covered more ground than any player I've ever coached. He averaged 13.7 kilometers per game, won 68% of his tackles, and became the emotional leader of the squad. Meanwhile, that expensive winger spent half the season injured, teaching me that treble success often comes from unexpected places.
The domestic cup competitions require a different mentality entirely. While the league is a marathon and Champions League is the ultimate test of quality, the cups are where randomness reigns. I always tell my players to treat cup matches like knockout tournaments from the first whistle - there are no second chances. We faced fourth-tier opposition in the third round that season and nearly got eliminated, requiring extra time to secure a 3-2 victory. That match taught us more about resilience than any Champions League night possibly could. The players learned that underestimating any opponent, regardless of their league position, could end your treble dreams instantly.
What fascinates me most about treble-winning teams isn't just their talent but their ability to handle different types of pressure. The week we had to play our league derby on Saturday, a cup semifinal on Tuesday, and a Champions League quarterfinal the following Sunday represented the ultimate test of our squad's mental and physical capacity. We lost the derby 2-1, and the criticism was relentless. But during training the next day, I gathered the players and repeated those same words: "Normal 'yan. This is not gonna be easy." We went on to win both the cup semifinal and the Champions League match, proving that recovery - both physical and psychological - separates treble winners from nearly-rans.
The final month of a treble-chasing season creates pressure unlike anything else in football. Every match feels like a cup final, every training session carries extra intensity, and the media scrutiny becomes overwhelming. I implemented what I called "mental timeout" sessions - brief 15-minute meetings where we'd address nothing but the psychological aspect of our challenge. We'd watch clips of other great teams that had collapsed under pressure, then discuss how to avoid similar fate. These sessions weren't about tactics; they were about maintaining belief when everyone outside our dressing room doubted us.
Winning the treble requires embracing the chaos rather than resisting it. That Champions League final perfectly encapsulated our season - we conceded early, our captain got injured in the 33rd minute, and we had to make an unexpected substitution that changed our tactical approach. But instead of panicking, the players adapted. Our replacement captain scored the equalizer before halftime, and we dominated the second half despite playing out of position. When the winning goal came in the 88th minute, it felt inevitable because we'd built our entire season around handling exactly these types of situations. The final whistle brought not just celebration but validation of everything we'd preached throughout that grueling campaign.
Looking back, what made that treble season special wasn't just the trophies but how we responded to every setback. The philosophy I shared with my players during that early timeout became our foundation - recognizing that difficulty is normal, that early struggles don't define your campaign, and that the hardest victories often become the most meaningful. While tactics, talent, and timing all contribute to treble success, the true differentiator is maintaining composure when everything seems to be falling apart. That's the lesson I carry with me into every new season, and it's why I believe any club - regardless of budget or prestige - can dream of achieving football's ultimate prize.
Indian Super League Live TodayCopyrights