Stephen Constantine reflects on East Bengal's loss against Hyderabad FC; calls performance best in past few matches | ISL 2022-23
East Bengal FC slumped to their third straight defeat in ISL 2022-23 when Hyderabad FC trounced them 0-2 on Friday (21 January). However, head coach Stephen Constantine regarded their performance on the night as the best in the last two or three matches.
The Red and Gold Brigade were completely overwhelmed by the Nizams in the first half, but in the second 45, the hosts showed a lot of fight. In the post-match press conference, the EBFC gaffer opined that had his players converted their chances in the second half, the scoreline could've been altered in their favor.
Constantine stated:
"We had one or two good chances, we hit the crossbar in the first half but in the second half, we had three chances where we had to score. We could've won the game on another day, but we didn't take our opportunities. When you don't take your opportunities, you get punished."
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East Bengal conceded the opening goal in just the fifth minute and despite their resistance, they ended up going down 2-0 in the dying moments of the game. But the English tactician maintained that he couldn't blame his players for the lack of effort. He stated:
"The team gave a much better performance than in the last two or three games. You could see the spirit, the fight, and the workmanship of the players but it wasn't enough. We made too many mistakes, not just from a defending point of view but at the attacking end as well but I can't complain about the boys for their efforts, they gave their best."
Put my reputation at risk for East Bengal: Head coach Stephen Constantine reflects on his time with the club
When Stephen Constantine joined the Red and Gold Brigade back in August last year, he must have been well aware of the problem at hand but maybe not quite the extremity of it. The club started the team-building process late yet again and scrambled to form a formidable side.
The coach is now further handicapped by the transfer ban during the ongoing transfer window. The team hasn't managed to register any new signings owing to the suspension.
However, Constantine believes that next season promises to be a better one for the Torchbearers. He explained:
“I came here and put my reputation and career at risk for East Bengal. No problem. I’ll fight, but I can’t do that by myself. I can’t go into the pitch and score goals. All I can do is coach the boys. They worked very hard today and deserved a point from this game. They didn’t. It’s finished. Next game. We have six more to go. About the next season, you will see.”
However, for now, the focus will be on the next six matches in the 2022-23 ISL season. The slump that East Bengal are experiencing now might push them further down the table.