The Gaffer Spoke About The Positives From The Blues’ Narrow Defeat To Defending AFC Cup Champions Johor Darul Ta’zim. Excerpts From A Post Match Interaction…

On his side’s performance against the reigning AFC Cup champions…

We played the defending champions and we had some really good chances. Alwyn should have scored. He missed from close range with an open net to aim for. There are not too many teams that would have played the way we did.

Johor had their opportunities and we more than matched them and I believe we deserved a draw. Every player at this club should be proud of himself.

On the Blues’ defending…

The defence did well as well as Johor’s two centre-forwards were kept quiet. (Salam) Ranjan made his debut and Vishal (Kumar) made his first start of the season and we had players who had a point to prove. Everything was spot-on apart from the result.

On his decision to rest skipper Sunil Chhetri…

Chhetri is fit. I just chose not to play him as we know that the game against Ayeyawady is very important. We have got more chance of winning that fixture. We have to beat Ayeyawady twice and Lao once to qualify. We will be at full-strength for those fixtures and we wanted certain players to be fresh for those key games.

On Udanta Singh’s performance…

We sent Udanta to England to improve on his hold-up play and to toughen him up. We need him to use his body more to use the space around him well and I think he did that. He quickly learned what he had to in England because it was sink or swim. It is a good aspect that he has added to his game.

On the tight schedule of I-League and AFC Cup games…

We have got lots of games to play and we have to plan ahead. If you look at a single fixture, then you will be one-dimensional. Fixtures come thick and fast if you are a good team. We are going to play in the I-League, the AFC Cup and in the Federation Cup. We are always competing for trophies at this club and that tells us that we are moving in the right direction.