ISL 2018 | My team is still evolving, asserts Steve Coppell

SportsCafe Desk
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World ATK Coach, Steve Coppell, was delighted with his side’s performance as they beat defending champions Chennaiyin FC by a scoreline of 2-1 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. Coppell added that there’s still more to come from his players as they moved to fourth spot on the ISL table.

English coach, Steve Coppell, was a happy man on Friday night after his team raced away to a 2-0 lead within the first 20 minutes of their encounter against defending champions Chennaiyin FC. Despite conceding one goal, Coppell’s side saw out a well-deserved victory at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata. 

And the British tactician was cautious as he heaped praise on his team at the post-match press conference yesterday. Coppell suggested that his squad was still evolving and there was more to come from his players.

“Well, I think, for every team to win at home just makes you feel good. Obviously, the first two games we lost and so it was a big win for us. The team is still evolving. You know, it’s still taking shape. The more we play, the more players are put under the microscope. The more you see who responds well and who doesn’t respond well, you can shape the team, even more, going forward. It’s happening to me.

“In a way, having gone 2-0 in front, it’s human nature to protect (the lead). I think, to a certain extent, it stopped us from playing as it made us think that we have to protect what we have. Certainly, when they got their goal, I think we just shrank a little bit. We were so intent on keeping the lead rather than being too concerned about trying to make it 3-1,” Coppell said after the game.

With five matches played, ATK find themselves fourth in the ISL rankings table with seven points and a record of two wins, two losses and one draw. In the buildup to the next game against table-toppers, Coppell acknowledged that it will be a tough test for his side.

“The strategy is just to try and win every game. We know we’ve got a big game coming up. Bengaluru are a top side and they’ve proved it so far this season. They proved it last season. We look forward to it. We want to play the best teams and see how we cope. So, we are looking forward to that game now,” the veteran coach added.

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