TOUGH TIME IN INDIA
I’M sending my season’s greetings from Goa this Christmas, but I’m not in the middle of an exotic holiday. More like an open prison!
I say that in humour, before I get misquoted in India, but it’s been an eye-opening experience in my first campaign with East Bengal in the Indian Super League – and an incredibly tough one for my players and my staff.
We have been in a hub here since October – going into a total quarantine for two weeks – and then an effective lockdown here on the island away from anyone.
We only leave our shelter for training and matches. Otherwise, we are confined to the hotel.
I understand why we are doing it and it’s necessary to get this league played and completed.
But it is so hard for the players and staff to be away from their families for so long – and even harder when we are in this sort of isolation. It’s not the environment you want for players to deliver their best.
It is incredibly tough on the mental side of things.
Which is why I am proud of the way my team has performed, given we had so little time to prepare for a new league.
We have taken the jump with players from the I-League to the Indian Super League and it’s been difficult.
But we have competed in most games and done well, despite the lack of results. In no game were we outplayed and we have deserved more.
It was never going to be easy, especially when we have been in a bubble for so long without families, with a totally new squad.
But we are seeing progress and we can start believing that East Bengal will be able to deliver what our fantastic fans deserve.