Chennaiyin should play possession football: Coach

“I want the players to keep the ball moving and enjoy a high amount of possession. The team has also got pace upfront which enables us to play with a high tempo”, said Gregory during an interaction with the Chennaiyin FC fans in the city. When asked about who the captain of the side would be, the coach said it would be done at the appropriate time. 

“Performances of every player will be assessed during pre-season and then we will choose the captain. It would obviously be one of the more experienced guys. Inigo Calderon is certainly a contender to be the skipper along with a few others”, said John.

The former Aston Villa manager felt that ATK and Kerala Blasters would be the sides to watch having splashed a lot of cash on their marquee signings which are no longer mandatory. He also added that the idea of having six Indian players on the pitch is an excellent one as that alone will develop Indian football in the longer run. The Englishman seemed confident of making it to the final four in March.  

“We all think we are going to be up there. We will have to keep the feet on the ground and stay confident throughout the tournament to achieve our initial objective of making it to the playoffs”, signed off John Gregory. Mark Lillis, assistant to Gregory, said he was fascinated by his Indian experience. “It is fantastic to be in a new country. It’s a big thing for me. We will stick together as a team and will be like a family until the season comes to a close”, said Mark on his first sojourn to India.