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Robbie Fowler's absence will make huge impact, says Tony Grant

Published at :February 6, 2021 at 10:53 PM
Modified at :February 6, 2021 at 10:53 PM
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AjayAnil Kumar


The assistant coach insisted that his team will fight until the end of the season.

With five games to go, SC East Bengal are in a questionable position. 10th on the Indian Super League table, the Red and Gold have a mathematical chance to make it to the top four, but it largely depends on a slew of other results going in their favour. A 2-0 loss to Bengaluru FC last time around did not help their cause. They will be looking for maximum points, starting with the match against Jamshedpur FC and assistant coach Tony Grant addressed the media.

East Bengal’s precarious position

Despite being 10th on the table, Tony Grant is insistent that it does not tell the whole story. “I don’t think it has been tough on the pitch. When you analyze everything, the team has only been in the ISL last minute. Had a two-week pre-season and has done tremendous.

"We had an eight-game unbeaten run. We've played some teams twice and there was only one team who goT the better of us twice. We've matched a lot of teams in a short period of time. All the staff and the players need to take great credit for the fight that they are showing and carry on to do so till the end of the season.“

https://youtu.be/fG76q15RAVk
WATCH: Tony Grant speaks at the pre-match press conference

The Bubble

The bubble has been taxing for everyone involved. “Off the pitch, there have been a lot of issues. It is not just our club. A lot of managers have seen misfortunes this year. I honestly think people need to take into context the problem of living in a bubble.

"It is a confined space. People liken it to a prison. We actually can’t go out. Mentally, what that does to people is huge. It is not easy. People need to take a step back and understand it before they start throwing stones," opined Tony Grant.

Robbie Fowler’s absence

Robbie Fowler’s four-game suspension came at the wrong time for the Kolkata outfit. “To be honest, it will make a huge impact. Obviously, the players all love him. He'll be with us every day up until the game.

"He's the manager. He makes quick decisions and we are not going to have that armour for the next four games. The rest of the staff are experienced enough. Hopefully, we can do him proud," quoted Tony Grant.

Possible start for Sarthak Golui

Sarthak Golui was brought to East Bengal on loan to strengthen the Red and Gold’s defence. The assistant coach spoke about whether he can be given a start against Jamshedpur. “He has trained with us last two days. He looks fit, athletic and has got a big smile. It looks like he wants to play football. Let’s hope that he can get into the starting XI after today’s training.”

Top four hopes

For East Bengal, a chance at top four depends a lot on other teams stumbling in their matches. “I think when anything is mathematically possible, you have to keep fighting. So, we will keep fighting. We will keep improving. Each player is improving, some slower than others.

"I think if we had beaten Bengaluru, it would have been easier. If we had won last week, we would have a really good chance. We have five games left and probably have to win all. It's not mathematically impossible, we will keep fighting to see where we end up,” concluded Tony Grant.

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