Chennai, Jan 29 Chennaiyin FC will look to build on their unbeaten record against rivals Kerala Blasters FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai when the latter come to visit for the pair’s Indian Super League clash on Thursday. The Marina Machans have never lost a match against the Blasters at the Marina Arena, a run that stretches to the start of the ISL 11 years ago.
Speaking to the media from a press conference in Chennai on the eve of the southern derby, head coach Owen Coyle emphasised the significance of the match and why the unbeaten home record matters.
“It’s a derby game, it’s not only important for the three points but also the bragging rights for our supporters. We have to make sure we’re ready to fight for it. We’re looking forward to it; it’s an exciting game; they are all exciting games (against Kerala), and we have to make sure we come out of them on the right side. I think we let ourselves down in the away game, but we also have a great record at home (versus Kerala), and we want that to continue," Coyle told the media.
The head coach explained how the match can be a platform for his team’s late-season bounce back, following a challenging run.
“It’s a good time to play Kerala (Blasters), any time is a good time to play your rivals. We want to do it for our own end; show that drive, that passion, why we love this game. The game can be cruel, but we have passionate players, people who care about winning the game, and that’s what we have to show in the field tomorrow night,” Coyle said.
“What’s happened behind us we can’t affect. But what we can affect is what is to come and that starts with Kerala (Blasters). It is important we show our characteristics and finish strong. We have six games, all winnable, but we have to start by winning the first one,” he added.
Joining Coyle for the press conference was captain Ryan Edwards, who highlighted his process to help teammates recover from errors and underlined what needs to be done going forward.
“I try to get through to the individuals and make them realise that there is enough time to play. We’ve played Odisha FC, NorthEast United, tough away games in which we were down but went on to win the game. But, the individual errors need to stop, and it’s important that the players learn from them very quickly because there is plenty of time in football to go and change the result,” he said.
Lastly, Coyle revealed the reason behind Gurkirat Singh’s absence was personal and ruled out Vignesh Dakshinamurthy for the Kerala clash. He did confirm that Lukas Brambilla was fit and in contention for the match.
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