ISL | Tough to catch up with teams that have a head start, says Chennaiyin FC coach Miranda

In mean circumstances, Chennaiyin FC, during this clip of the year, would beryllium chalking retired plans to beryllium best-placed for the Indian Super League playoff qualification.

However, these are unprecedented times. It is February, usually the period erstwhile the league season’s climax begins, but the Indian shot fraternity inactive awaits ISL’s kick-off. The uncertainty meant that the Chennaiyin players, similar their rivals from immoderate different clubs, were waiting successful anticipation astatine a clip erstwhile they indispensable person been battling for the shot connected the field.

So, aft that 1 notification which they longed for appeared connected their mobiles, they yet breathed again. CFC caput manager Clifford Miranda expressed “relief” looking astatine the contiguous aboriginal of the ISL, scheduled to statesman connected February 14. “We would alternatively person a delayed commencement to the league than person nary league astatine all. All of america person to adapt,” Miranda, Chennaiyin’s archetypal imperishable Indian main coach, told The Hindu on Saturday.

But Miranda admitted that it would beryllium an onerous task to drawback up with clubs which bask a caput start. “Primarily, our objectives volition beryllium connected the mentation we person for the season. Four-five clubs person been grooming year-round, truthful it is not a level-playing field,” said Miranda, whose squad re-started signifier lone 2 weeks ago.

“But we cannot word ourselves arsenic victims. While we cannot marque up for four-five months of non-football, we volition effort to play shot the mode I privation the squad to play. In the end, shot is result-oriented; we would emotion to triumph and we privation to win.”

For now, Miranda and the wider shot assemblage privation the nationalist federation to springiness beingness to the ISL tagline of ‘Let’s football’.