CHENNAI: Cut to last season. NorthEast United brought in two coaches — Joao Carlos Pires de Deus and former Chelsea manager Avram Grant. While the former was sacked after a four-match winless streak in January, the Israeli fared even worse, going eight matches without a positive result as they finished last. Eelco Schattorie, brought in midway through last season to assist Avram, was given the top job this time around.
Managing a team which has never made it to the last-four stage was as daunting as they come in the ISL.
The Highlanders, currently third on the table trailing second-placed Jamshedpur FC on goal difference with two games in hand, have been the standout team so far but the start was as inauspicious as they come.
Firstly, the John Abraham-owned club had to pull quite a few strings to appoint the Dutchman. He agreed to this before adding, “I’m not being arrogant. I have worked in many Asian countries including Saudi Arabia where the league is of high quality. I believe ISL coach appointments should not be based only on big names.
“A club should have the right to appoint based on their requirement and the team culture,” the 46-year-old told Express.The club’s plans to hold pre-season abroad went awry. Without proper match practice and lack of foreign signings, Eelco walked into the first day of training.
“It was quite a rocky start to say the least. All our pre-season plans failed to materialise. But looking back, I feel it was a boon. I focussed a lot on team bonding. The difficult start aided the gelling process. I managed to stay calm and prepare accordingly because of my previous experience of managing I-League clubs. I know things don’t always work out here and you have to make do with what you have got.”
That spirit has shone through, with the team nicking results even when the going has been tough. Foreign players like top-scorer Bartholomew Ogbeche have helped the local players immensely and players like Rowllin Borges have even made a return to the national team thanks to their displays.
“The recruitment has been spot-on. We have great characters who have really bought into the club’s philosophy. Personally, I believe in trying to help players improve. It is a process and it will take time but results will follow.”
Without a loss to their name so far, the team from the Northeast can dream big but Eelco refuses to spend too much time thinking of the future. “I always take it one game at a time. That’s what I have told the boys. We have to improve our defensive organisation and cut out silly mistakes. But we are on the right path.”
The coach’s positive attitude has had an impact on his wards. “We feel really confident but we have to keep our heads down, keep our feet grounded and keep on going. We will not give up. For us, it’s not over till it’s over,” Ogbeche added.
(ayantan@newindianexpress.com)