CHENNAI: It's a fresh start for Chennaiyin FC and new German coach Thomas Brdaric is looking to turn a few things around as they prepare for the Durand Cup opener on Saturday. Durand Cup is largely considered a pre-season event and Brdaric will try to gauge how his team has shaped up when they take on Army Red FT in a Group C match at Imphal.
CFC had a poor ISL outing last season and the German was brought in to ensure that the team goes back to their glory days when they won two titles. Brdaric wants to introduce the players to a new style of football. In the first game, the former Bayren Leverkusen defender has decided to field the strongest possible team and also try out some of the youngsters.
Star midfielder Anirudh Thapa will lead the side while some of India internationals Narayan Das, Rahim Ali and Edwin Vanspaul will assist him in the middle. The foreigners - Vafa Hakhamaneshi, Fallou Diagne (both defenders), midfielders Julius Düker and Rafael Crivellaro, along with forwards Petar Sliskovic and Kwame Karikari are all available.
However, some important Indian players like Mohammed Rafique, Alexander Romario Jesuraj, Sourav Das and Lijo Francis will miss the tournament due to injuries. Their recovery process has already started and the final fitness assessment will be done in the coming weeks.
"Our main objective is to win every match we play. But yes, we have some issues to solve as some of the key players aren't available due to injury. But we have to deal with this challenge and try to cope with it as fast as possible. Moreover, the season is quite long and we need all players available throughout," said Brdaric.
According to the coach, the team has trained well in the last one month and the boys are ready to fire on all cylinders. When asked if there will be any issue adjusting to the high altitude of Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Imphal, Brdaric said the team has adapted well in the last few days and will deal with the challenges.
"We have worked very hard during the conditioning camp and boys are keen to deliver in the first competitive match tomorrow. I will have a better idea after the match tomorrow where we stand. Everybody in the team wants to contribute and turn this new unit into a formidable side. We've already trained in two different cities, so acclimatizing with the conditions here wouldn't be an issue," Chennaiyin coach said.
