Arunava about Football A look at football & the world through my eyes!
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Bengaluru FC skipper Sunil Chhetri said his side are looking to bounce back from a dismal Indian Super League campaign, in the 2021 AFC Cup…
On the differences since Marco Pezzaiuoli’s arrival…
There are a few differences under Marco, compared to what it was before. There are a few similarities too. One good thing is the change for the team. There is a positive vibe at the club now and the youngsters are enjoying it. I think what helped them is getting minutes in the ISL, and the nervousness is going away. Suresh cemented his place, Parag and Leon look ready, and we have more like Biswa and Bhutia who came to the club with their schoolbags and are now knocking on the doors.
There is healthy competition at the club, and with a new manager, there is no prejudice or previous baggage. Everything depends on how you push yourself in training and it has been intense. I can see everyone giving 100%. Our performances in the Indian Super League were below par, and it gives us an added motivation to do better in the AFC Cup.
On his expectations from the team ahead of the AFC Cup qualifiers…
I’m expecting a big reaction from the boys, and it starts with every individual, beginning with myself. We were bad last season, and we weren’t pointing fingers at anyone because there is so much to improve on individually. The good thing is that we know that we are capable of improving and we know what we can do.
Generally, if one player has a bad season, he gets bailed out by the rest of the team and that’s normal. But we all performed below our levels together. Our heads dropped a little, we talked about it and now we are looking to rectifying that. We want to improve individually, and also as a team. Having a coach like Marco with so much clarity in his thought, someone with his experience, surely helps a lot.
On Marco Pezzaiuoli’s style of play…
Marco knows what he wants and he has conveyed that to us. He is simple, straightforward and it is important for the coach and the players to be in sync. We all know the pedigree he brings to the club, the kind of players and teams he has trained in the past. We know it will take time, obviously, but it is clear what we are setting out to do and that is important.
On the challenge posed by Tribhuvan Army FC…
We are taking things one game at a time. We watched Tribhuvan Army beat Sri Lanka Police, we saw their unity, the way they play and we are prepared. We aren’t thinking of anything beyond this game at this point. Right now, it’s all about grasping what the coach wants from us.
Ideally, we would have wanted more time, with training being interrupted by COVID and moving between Bengaluru and Goa. But it is exciting to have fresh ideas, do it with a lot of pressing and we are all looking forward to it.
