“Physically and mentally we are in a good place to win the game” – Owen Coyle ahead of all-important NorthEast encounter

Chennai, January 16, 2020: Chennaiyin FC take on NorthEast United in an all-important Hero Indian Super League clash at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Thursday. CFC will be aiming to put daylight between themselves and their opponents who lie a spot below in ninth with 11 points.

Coyle was in an upbeat mood at the pre-match press conference alongside local lad Edwin Sydney Vanspaul, who has been a mainstay in the side this season. And with the team playing at home during the festive period of Pongal, Coyle is hopeful of delivering a win for the ardent faithful.

“NorthEast are a good side and we are really looking forward. The best celebration will be to get the three points, to do that we will have to play very well,” Coyle said.

Coyle was full of praise for his Indian contingent, pointing out that the quality of domestic players at the club is something to be proud of and worthy of nurturing.

“We are playing catch up and we have to show we are at our best. The players have shown a great attitude and a desire to improve, to get better. As a coach you want to help them learn and improve. There is a lot of quality in the Indian players. What they require is someone to spend time with them, coach them and try to encourage them, to trust them to play and we are trying to do that. If we bring them all together, we have shown we can be a good team,” Coyle added.

CFC will be looking for back-to-back wins in the ISL for the first time in more than two years, a record that Coyle agrees is unbecoming of two-time champions. Having already laid to rest an unwanted record of not winning away from home since November 2018 with the win over Hyderabad, Coyle and Co. has another welcome change in sight.
“Until Hyderabad FC the other night, since November 2018, for the club of this stature which to not have won a game away from home was way too long and we managed to break that jinx. We want to win this game and put a smile on the faces on the fans. The commitment is great and we have to play very well and take care of the ball and be exciting, so it is a great game to look forward to for everybody.”

Edwin also reflected on the changes in the team’s mentality after Coyle’s arrival at the club. “Things have definitely changed a lot, we’ve been playing more attacking. The coach has come in and helped us improve individually and also as a team and we are playing more together with each other and day by day we are becoming better,” he said.

Coyle was particular about his side finding consistency with back-to-back home games against NEUFC followed by Jamshedpur FC, to keep any hopes alive of the play-off places. “With three out of our next four games at home, it gives us a good opportunity to gather points and push ourselves to where we want to challenge because there would be some tough games but that’s the nature of the league. So we have to find our consistency and make sure physically and mentally we are in a good place to win the game.”

Edwin had a special mention for the fans, praising them for their unconditional support. “We will play for the fans; they mean everything to us. They have been with us during our difficult phase. All our upcoming games are tough games but we will play for the fans and give in our everything for them and the club and that is what every player in the club feels.”