With the new head coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese taking over from Israeli Marco Balbul, a winless NorthEast United will look forward to a new dawn when they take on out-of-form Chennaiyin FC in the ninth-round match of Indian Super League at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday.
On a record eight-match losing streak, NorthEast United will be eager to break that ignominous record sonner than later under a man who has done wonders with Gokulam Kerala, winning back-to-back I-League titles with them.
As the focus on the eve of the match was on the new man in charge, the Italian said his focus will be on the Highlanders' upcoming game against Chennaiyin and not their winless streak. The Guwahati-based side has remained rock-bottom on the table and is in need of some points to start changing their hapless situation.
Annese, meawhile is of the view that his wards are capable of doing that. "It's an honour to be a part of NorthEast United FC. It's a great opportunity for me and I'm happy the club has put their confidence in me. I'm not thinking about the previous eight defeats but Saturday's result. For us, we must gain a positive result.
"It will be a complicated game for the opponent and I'm so excited. In the one training session that we did, we showed the way we need to approach the game. It would be a game with goals. I want my team to win the game all the time and I love to take risks. I love to attack every time," the young coach said at the pre-match press conference on Friday.
"Personally, I am coming after positive results during the previous years with another team (Gokulam) in another league (I-League). I want to motivate all the players, staff and our main supporters. I want them (supporters) to see positivity in our team and see our team win. This is a step-by-step process, but I know the way that can make the team win. I can be arrogant, maybe I am, but I want the team to win. Each player has some qualities, and we need to find those and bring them in the field," Annese added further.
The visitors, having lost three of their last four encounters, are in a spot of bother, too. Having 10 points after eight games the Chennai side is seventh on the table and need points to arrest any slip further.
Midfielder Edwin Sydney Vanspaul, who attended the pre-match presser with coach Thomas Brdaric, said his teammates are quite positive for the upcoming game. "We are playing NorthEast United at their home. I'm sure they'll go all out because they have a new coach and must be motivated. But, at the same time, we have our team philosophy and are sticking together. We all are positive. We want to bring joy back and give our best," Edwin said.
Though NorthEast are yet to pick up any point so far this season, Brdaric said there's no room for complacency. "With a new coach comes new ideas and approaches. But for us, it doesn't change our preparations. We have to be very focused and implement our ideas. We have an important match tomorrow against NorthEast, a team which has struggled in the past, but we don't want to underestimate. They have some strengths, and we must ensure they don't use them. We know our qualities, and we must show them tomorrow in the best possible way," the head coach said before signing off.
