ISL 2018-19: Strikers like Ketchup Bottle - they splash out, says NorthEast United coach Eelco Schattorie
Northeast United FC host Jamshedpur FC in a crucial fourth round encounter in the Indian Super League. Both the teams have had formidable starts to the season, and it promises to be an exciting encounter with both sides preferring to play proper football rather than just kickball stuff.
Eelco Schattorie, the Dutch gaffer, has given NEUFC the best start in their ISL history, and he feels at the moment the most prominent challenge his side faces is being complacent, overconfident and also being billed as a much better team than they are.
Both the coaches Eelco Schattorie and Cesar Ferrando voiced similar tones regarding the game on Thursday and expect it to be a tough game as both the teams are placed in the top half of the table.
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The Northeast United gaffer, when asked about what he thinks regarding the Jamshedpur star man Tim Cahill, said: "He is Australian."
He did go onto add that Cahill as a person is a great human being.
While Cahill is yet to find the back of the net for Jamshedpur FC this ISL season, NorthEast striker Bartholomew Ogbeche leads the goalscoring charts. Eelco feels it's only a matter of time before Cahill finds his groove.
"Strikers are like a bottle of Ketchup, sometimes nothing comes out, but when it comes it is generally a splash or a flow." Eelco did add that the comparison of Strikers and Ketchups was a statement made by the Dutch legend Rudd Van Nistelrooy.
"I am someone who doesn't want to be like Jose Mourinho (Manchester United coach) - always nagging about Money or like saying I need this I need that. I like to work with what I have" Eelco added, while addressing the limited bench strength that his team has.
The Dutch gaffer did praise players like Girik Khosla and Provat Lakhra, who have been improving every day in training and added that players who come from the I-league to the ISL should count as a success.
NEUFC have managed to score quite a few goals this season, but their defence hasn't been compact as they have leaked in a few goals and Eelco admitted that it was very contradictory to his plans as he generally liked to keep things organised and compact.
"A problem that coaches generally have is should I change something or should I do this. I am someone who doesn't like to turn things around much and want to stick to one formula which works for the team, so we should also battle the urge to change things around too within the group and stick to a fixed plan or set up," Eelco said regarding his team set up and approach to the game.
"We will play long balls if we have to play long balls and be compact at the back, we will do what it takes to win," Jamshedpur FC coach Cesar Ferrando said.
He also explained that since NEUFC look to play out from the back, his side would adapt to the situation and play long balls, which is a departure from his ideology.
The Spanish gaffer also had words of praise for the Indian National team and praised players like Sunil Chhetri, Udanta Singh, and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu for their recent performance against China in a FIFA friendly.
Speaking about Indian players, he said that the level was good, but they need to improve a lot and learn more about the tactical side of the game.