Robbie Fowler: We'll all start seeing a better SC East Bengal team now

The Red and Gold will aim to pick their first win of the season on Tuesday.

SC East Bengal will face Hyderabad FC searching for their first victory in the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL) season on Tuesday. They earned a gritty draw against Jamshedpur FC in their previous game, despite playing with 10 men for around 70 minutes. Head coach Robbie Fowler addressed the media ahead of the game against the Nizams. He talked about multiple issues, from the result against Jamshedpur to unleashing the team’s offensive potential. Fowler also acknowledged the injury issues ailing the team, but claimed that the players are getting fitter. 

On the attitude of players against Jamshedpur FC 

Speaking about the match against Owen Coyle’s men, Fowler said, “I think the fight the lads showed in the last game is something that we have known all along. I think we are a team who have a great work-ethic. I think the togetherness in this team is brilliant. When we were down to 10 men, it was just a case of this is what we need to do. We need to show everyone. Instead of us talking about it all the time, I think people can concede that we have a team-spirit and we are a team for the fighters.”

Spirits of the team after an encouraging performance 

Fowler stressed that the team are high on motivation and indicated that luck hasn’t gone their way this season. However, he was confident that East Bengal will deliver the desired results in the coming games. “Our spirits are high anyway. The four games that we have played, we have actually played okay. We have been outdone by a little bit of unluckiness at times. Various things have happened on the football pitch, you know, players getting sent off…players going off injured. Look, we know what we are up against. The players are getting fitter, I saw that yesterday. We will all start seeing a better SC East Bengal team now. I really believe that,” the head coach expressed. 

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Is it time that the team’s attack steps up to the occasion? 

The Red and Gold earned significant praise for their defensive resolve in the previous match. However, the team’s attacking contingent hasn’t clicked well so far. Pondering on that, RFowler insisted that situations have held them from displaying their true attacking capabilities. 

“We have been up against it at times. The second game against Mumbai, we lost one of the main players, the captain and leader on the pitch. You will have to adjust accordingly. Likewise, against Jamshedpur, we had a man sent off. We can’t afford to go gung-ho. You still have to play the way you can to try and get points. So, it just happens that we needed to be a little bit more defensive in the way the game panned out,” the 45-year-old explained. 

Dismissing any doubts over his team’s intent, Robbie Fowler added, “But look, we go into every game wanting to win. We don’t go into a game thinking we are going to be defensive because we want to win the game or we don’t want to concede. We want to win every single game and I think that’s an attitude I have always had. 

“That’s the attitude I am trying to instill in the players. We never go in not wanting to win. So, yes, strange things happen on a football pitch and we have to adapt. We have to adjust. That’s what we have done. It’s not a case of us being ultra-defensive. It’s a case of us fighting together, sticking with each other and let’s not get beaten.”

ALSO READ: Hyderabad FC Vs East Bengal Preview: Nizams eye top four spot

Fitness status of Aaron Amadi-Holloway 

The tactician was probed about whether Aaron Amadi-Holloway will feature in the coming match. He was also earlier asked a similar question about Sankar Roy. Refraining from giving any conclusive answer, the head coach assured that the players will play once they are totally fit. 

“It’s a big thing within this club that a lot of people are interested. They are injured lads, and will be available pretty soon, hopefully. When they are available, then we can start talking about them. We are not keeping secrets, we are not going to keep people away just for the sake of it. 

“Look, we know we have got a tough game. Whatever players go out on the pitch will have to perform for the shirt and that’s the simple answer. Players will come back when they are ready. We will make sure they are ready and right before they come back. That’s the way it is with football,” he responded. 

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Navigating Hyderabad’s defensive rigidity

Hyderabad FC have conceded merely two goals in their four matches and have been pretty solid at the back. Contrastingly, East Bengal are yet to open their account on the goalscoring front. Asked about the plan to overcome this challenge, Robbie Fowler opened up, “Hyderabad have had a few good results, a few gritty performances themselves. This is a new game for us. Our players are getting fitter. 

“It’s a challenge, but look, the Hyderabad manager will be saying the same thing. They have got a challenge as well. What we have seen in this league so far is that teams can beat each other. We are seeing a few unorthodox results that are a bit different from last year. Now, it’s up to us to try and get some results and pull them our way," concluded Robbie Fowler.

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