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Chennaiyin FC haven't been able to hit a consistent level in the Indian Super League so far this season. They currently sit in eighth position in the ISL points table. In their previous game, the Marina Machans suffered a 3-0 hammering at the hands of southern rivals Bengaluru FC.
Bozidar Bandovic's men next up face bottom-placed SC East Bengal. Asked about his side's chances of making it into the top four ahead of the game, the Chennaiyin FC boss said:
"I always believed in the team and it is going to be tough, the next seven games, the next game is very important. We want to prepare, analyze the opponent. As I said before, for us to complete in the top four this season, it's going be a big success."
Meanwhile, on deadline day of the winter transfer window, Chennaiyin FC's star winger Lallianzuala Chhangte completed a loan move to Mumbai City FC. Speaking about the premature departure of the player, Bozidar Bandovic said:
"I think his contract should have been done a long time ago, not to wait. I talked to him many times, he's a good player. And I told him that he needs to stay in the club, this club needs to be built on him. So he told me that a club has offered him a contract, and his decision was to leave the club at the end of the year after his contract is finished, and to go to Mumbai."
The Montenegrin boss added:
"After that, we talked many times and he called me and we had meetings and he told me that he wants to leave, which would be better for his future."
For the complete ISL fixture, click here.
"We need to put our character on the field" - Chennaiyin FC midfielder Vladimir Koman
Meanwhile, also present at the pre-match press conference was Chennaiyin FC midfielder Vladimir Koman. The Hungarian international has been a pivotal figure in the middle of the park for the Marina Machans. Koman has started 12 games and amassed three goals and an assist this season.
What message does an experienced player like him have for the other players? Koman said:
"They know what to do, we don't have pressure. We need to find our self motivation day by day. So, this is tough, this is tough for everybody. This is what we have. So we go about all our games with our 100% and we try to do what we can do so. Sometimes it happens, what we want to do, what we plan to do, but sometimes it doesn't happen. So it's too many ups and downs but this is what we have."
He further added:
"So my message to the players is that we don't have pressure, we just need to play, we need to put our character on the field and do what we can do. That's it."
Meanwhile, during the transfer window, Chennaiyin FC roped in gunman Nerijus Valskis. Asked about Koman's experience playing with the forward, the 32-year-old said:
"I think I played two games with him (Nerijus Valskis), so we can make some combinations, we need more time you know it's not enough for us, we need more time to play together but I think this is this is not a problem because if somebody has has quality in the field, you can find each other, so I think this is not a problem to strike contact with the player. So, until now, what I did with other players, now I'm doing with the (Valskis. So, we are rotating a bit and trying to find the best way for us."
