Exclusive Interview with Chennaiyin FC's Elano Blumer: "I don't mind being benched"

Elano is hoping to lead his side into the semi-finals of the ISL

He was the winner of the Golden Boot in the first edition of the ISL and has been one of the undisputed stars of the tournament. Chennaiyin FC’s captain Elano Blumer has quickly become a darling of the masses and is enjoying his time in India.

In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, the Brazilian opened up on his thoughts about the ISL, Indian football, Marco Materazzi and the current Brazilian National Team.

Hi, Elano. What was your impression of Indian football when you came here last year? Has it changed now?

The first thing that struck me was that there is a lot of quality in Indian players. All of them are pretty gifted. I was impressed with almost everything last year. Of course, playing in a different country has its own set of challenges, but there hasn’t been too much of an issue. The main thing for me is that I am very happy to be a part of this evolution in Indian football.

This year, the league has improved, there is no doubt about that. The Indian players are showing what they are capable of, and the overseas players are also at a much higher level. So, overall I have enjoyed it.

Where do you think this league can improve?

That depends on where the league wants to go, where it sees itself in a few years’ time. So, I cannot really say anything much.

So, if we were to have a full-time league in India, on par with other leagues in the world, can we see you playing in it?

Honestly, I don’t think I can spend 8-9 months a year away from home. I am at a stage where I have my family to take care of, and I don’t think leaving them alone for a longer period of time is an option.

There is a unanimous opinion that the pace of the game here is slower than other parts of the world. Do you think so? If yes, is there any specific reason you attribute that to?

The weather is very hot here, and in those type of conditions, it is difficult to sustain the pace of the game over a large period of time. Even in Brazil, in places like Rio [de Janeiro], the games are slow because of the heat. So, it is not something unique to India.

How do you rate Chennaiyin’s chances of winning the league this time?

We are not thinking about winning the league at this point of time. For now, we want to make the semifinals, and that is completely in our hands now. We have two big games coming up, and we have to win those two games. After that, we will see where we can take it.

The team has won the last two games convincingly, without you starting. Do you feel threatened about your place in the side?

If we win the next two games, I will happily sit on the bench for the next two games. I am the captain of the side, and I know what I provide the side, even when I’m not playing. I picked up an injury in the game in Kolkata, and that is why I sat out the last two games.

Marco [Materazzi] knows my qualities, and if he feels it is best for the team in the upcoming games, I am happy to sit on the bench, and provide what support I can.

There was a slump for Chennaiyin midway through the season. Is there any specific reason that you would attribute that to?

A drop in form is a common occurrence in football. So, we always knew that it was only going to take one game to turn things around. The game against NorthEast [in Guwahati], was unfortunate.

We had two good wins in Goa and Mumbai leading up to that game, and because of a few reasons, we did not win the game. If we had won that, we’d have carried momentum into the subsequent games, and maybe we would be in a completely different situation right now.

What sort of relationship do you share with Marco Materazzi?

Normal, nothing different from what I have had with any other manager. He is new to the coaching role, and he is always learning. He has his own methods and knows his players very well. With my experience, I have been trying to help him, on and off the pitch in whatever way possible.

There are 5 Brazilians in the Chennaiyin squad. Does that help?

Obviously, it is of great help. All of us share a wonderful friendship, and it is definitely a great help when we play together on the field. It has helped all of us settle in here, easily.

Speaking of Brazilians, you met the likes of Zico and Roberto Carlos in this tournament. How did you feel about that?

It was like meeting anyone, any normal person. Obviously, Zico and Roberto have their own stories and achievements, but at the end of the day, they are all people. So, it was completely normal.

You are well known for your free-kicks. Do you have a special training regime for that?

I train a lot in Brazil, take a lot of free-kicks. But here, the frequency of games is so high that I don’t get the time to practice. Free-kicks came naturally to me – it was God’s gift.

But, I have worked very hard on them to make sure I can be as good as I can. So, it has been a combination of being gifted and hard work, that has enabled me to get as good as I have.

What are your thoughts about the current Brazilian National Team?

Obviously, everyone is upset about what happened in the World Cup last year, but things like that happen in football. Even Argentina lost 6-1 to Bolivia – things like that are normal, I feel. But now, it is important that they work hard to bring the Brazilian team back to where it should be.

There are enough talented players in the country who are highly capable. I hope it will not be too long before Brazil is back on top of world football.

Thank you, Elano! It has been a pleasure talking to you.

Thank you very much!