Ashley Westwood: I am sure Sunil Chhetri will break all records at national level

Ashley Westwood was the architect behind Bengaluru FC’s rise to the top of Indian football since their inception. He has guided them to two I-League titles in three years, along with the Federation Cup in 2014/15. The former Manchester United academy graduate also helped the Blues reach the quarter-finals of the 2016 AFC Cup before parting ways with the club at the end of his contract. Speaking to Mail Today, Westwood talked about his future, and said that he is ready to listen to all offers.

“I am wide open. I am not contracted to anybody. I am ready to listen to anyone and that is part and parcel of football," Westwood told Mail Today.

"There are always options but you need to find the good one. As a coach, you need offers and opportunities. You have to wait and see who fancies you and when it comes up you speak, assess and see if you're on the same page.

"It's like choosing a girlfriend," he added in a lighter vein.

He still has a few years left in him at the national level and I am sure he will break all the records

The former Blackburn Rovers assistant manager also showered praise on Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri, and said that the Indian skipper has been a role model for other players.

"You got someone you can share your views with and someone you can use as an extension of yourself or if you have problem with any player you could go through Sunil. He still has a few years left in him at the national level and I am sure he will break all the records. It's his leadership qualities and his professionalism that sets him apart. He conducts himself well and all the boys look up to him," he said.

However, Westwood admitted that he had no idea who Chhetri was when he landed at the club three years back.

"All I knew was that he was expensive. I didn't know him, as I had just come to the country. All I knew was how expensive he was compared to the others. The club had a kind of marquee signing, that is him, but I quickly realised that he was worth every penny he was being paid," Westwood told Mail Today.

When asked about Bengaluru FC, Westwood described the club as the best in the league.

"The club has been the best in the I-League. They do the best they can do to stay on top. Hopefully, they can continue with that. They are definitely in a stronger position today than when I came in three years ago and that's all you can do as a manager," he said.

Also read: The day Bengaluru FC celebrated their fans

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