PANAJI: Newly-appointed East Bengal head coach Robbie Fowler on Saturday said his team will play an exciting brand of football, relying on ball possession and short intricate passes, during the Indian Super League which begins on November 20.
The Kolkata giants, who will compete in the ISL from this season, appointed Fowler for a two-year tenure earlier this month.
The ISL will be played in three venues in Goa in view of COVID-19 pandemic. “We will play the right way. For me, the right way is playing with the ball at your feet, short sharp intricate passes, get the players moving and helping each other and not just pass it long ball for the sake of it,” Fowler said in an Instagram live session.
“We won’t be playing long balls, we want to hold on to possession. Possession on the right side of pitch, not just knocking it around in the back. We want to play in the opposite half, exciting football and win games. The best way is putting opposition in the backfoot,” he added. The upcoming season of the ISL, like several other sports events, will take place behind closed doors in empty stadiums.
“We can’t do anything but there will be time in the near future when we will be playing with lost of passionate fans. I would like nothing more than to travel to Kolkata and play with a successful team next year,” said the Liverpool legend.
“That day will come but right now we need to do what we need to do. It’s not easy but it’s something we have to adapt and accept.”
With a late inclusion to ISL, East Bengal appointed the 45-year-old with less than two months left for the scheduled start of the tournament and Fowler feels the team will have to play catch up.
—PTI

Press Trust of India