Eelco Schattorie: We will give our best without our main centre-halves

After winning the season opener, the Blasters have failed to win any of their remaining games so far.

Kerala Blasters head coach Eelco Schattorie addressed the press ahead of their game against Bengaluru FC. The Blasters have a long list of injuries, as they return to action after the international break. The side are currently seventh in the Indian Super League, with four points after having played four games.

The coach was asked about the progress of the club right from the moment he had taken over as the manager, to which he replied, “As a club we’re trying our best to achieve a lot of things. At the start of the season, all the attention was towards how good the recruitment has been. Unfortunately, we lost a lot of players who were part of the main setup due to injuries."

"We've lost our main centre-halves in defence and also lost players in the midfield. Right now, we’re going to give our best and work with what we have."

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Speaking about the pressure from fans with regard to how the team lineup and how they perform on the field, the Dutchman said, “Opinions have always been a part of football. People support when you win the game, but criticize the coach when you lose. We try to do the best that's possible and will do so until we have the backing of the players and the board. The sole purpose of my interactions with fans on social media is to educate them about the game, with all the knowledge that I possess.”

On Sahal Abdul Samad

Eelco Schattorie had earlier stated that he will now look to build the team around young midfielder Sahal Abdul Samad. He went on to add, “I believe that Sahal stands out among all Indian midfielders with his intuitive approach and creativity. He needs more time to work on his skills and I will constantly support him to make him the best in the country."

He continued, "I am willing to play the role of a second father figure, pointing out all of his mistakes, yet stand by his side at all times. The fans want to see more of his play, but there is a lot more to his game that needs to be worked on. The process of him becoming the best in India requires patience. This is the case with the rest of the players in the squad. They will be played only when the time is right."

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Thoughts on his Bench Strength

Eelco Schattorie explained that his bench is all in to give their best for the team. He said, “The players that we have currently are willing to give it their all and perform at their best tomorrow. I definitely won’t have my strongest team on the pitch, but we’re looking to fight it out with the current set of players.”

The coach cleared the air on the Jairo Rodrigues injury debacle, “Jairo arrived with an injury (meniscus tear) when we first signed him. He showed great character over the course of pre-season and put in good performances."

"However, he picked up an injury (hamstring) in the match against Odisha FC and had to be taken off. Scans have shown that his hamstring could be resolved, but there are still complications regarding his meniscus."