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As FC Bengaluru United prepare to head into the second half of the I-League 2, Assistant Coach Anup T Raj believes the team will be “back fitter and stronger for the rest of the league”. FC Bengaluru United went into the mid-season break as table toppers with 13 points and will be keen to “rectify any past mistakes and come back stronger after the break” in their quest to qualify for the I-League.
Before the break, FC Bengaluru United had played six games, winning four, with one loss and one draw. Looking back at the games, Anup said the hard work put in by the players in the pre-season had a key role to play in their performance. “It showed in the games in terms of scoring goals, creating a lot of chances and all of them have shown a lot of character.”
Anup said that while the team had started well, there was always “room for improvement”. “We have been conceding very cheaply, which we would be looking forward to rectifying. We’ve had a few injuries as well. We talk to players regularly after training sessions and games, giving them feedback on what went well and the areas to improve individually and as a team. This break will help us in giving more inputs to get the best out of them.”
FC Bengaluru United appointed Fernando Varela as Head Coach ahead of the I-League 2 and Anup was excited about the way the players have responded to him so far. “All the players have responded positively to our coach’s approach. I am sure they will continue doing this and put in even more hard work and effort in the training sessions and the outcome will be positive for the team.”
FCBU have eight games left in the I-League 2 out of which five are away games, something that Anup believes will be a “challenge” but one that his team will be able to adapt to. “All the teams are equal and we cannot underestimate any team in this League. We have a good experience in our squad and all the players have played in different conditions be it the weather or the grounds. The only challenge would be the travel between games as we have few games in a very short period. But a good recovery program and using the depth in the squad for the rotation of players should help us see this through.
“It’s very difficult for any team who finish top of the table before the break,” said Anup. “Many teams falter once they come back. We have to motivate and prepare the team to continue their form. It is important to keep their heads grounded, forget about the first half of the league and remind them that the league starts now as all the teams are ready to bounce back stronger.”
FC Bengaluru United take on Maharashtra Oranje FC at the Dravid Padukone Center for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru on March 23.
