Will his pennant fly internationally?

Evolution is a process of constant branching and expansion.

— Stephen Jay Gould (Paleontologist)

Like everything else around us, football — the beautiful game — too has branched and expanded over the years gone by. The emergence of new styles of play has often made players and systems relics of a bygone era. And the old-fashioned tearaway winger, who once breezed past defenders to play the perfect measured cross for the athletic No. 9, has lost his position in this evolution. Wider players are ever eager to cut in and operate more centrally, while the width and pace are now offered by the overlapping wing-backs.

England’s Jermaine Pennant, once the youngest Arsenal debutant, has always been a quintessential winger, blessed with terror pace. The 31-year-old, still in his prime, but perhaps sidelined by the changing systems in Europe, is now in India, lending his experience and speed to the inaugural Indian Super League. The FC Pune City star is still proud of his unique abilities, though he expresses his disappointment in missing out on international football.

Question: How has been your experience in India, so far?

Answer: It’s been good. I haven’t seen much (of the country) as I have not been able to step out of the hotel, because there have been far too many games. Even when I was playing in the Champions League for Liverpool there weren’t these many games (in such a short duration). In England, probably only during the Christmas week we play so much. Some of the training pitches here have been very hard, but not much to complain about the match grounds.

What were the reasons for you to pick India as a playing destination?

It was more for a different experience. I have played in England for almost my entire career — 15-16 years. They wanted me to play in the Super League and help the League and I said why not. It’s not a long season, so it leaves other options open. It helps me to stay fit and maybe move to another club in January.

Has it been difficult to adapt since you joined the team late?

No, the squad has made it easier for me. I feel I have been here from the start. The first game was difficult — getting used to the refereeing, getting used to the style of the Indian players, the climate. In England some fouls will be fouls, but in India it’s more lenient. It is not as strict as in Europe and I was shocked.

What is your opinion about the quality of the game here?

Obviously, the foreign players have good quality. They have been brought here for a reason. Even some of the Indian players are good, some players on the wings have good pace. It’s been a learning curve for the Indians because football is not their main sport. There are some little basics that need to be addressed, but it can’t be done in a week. But, I am sure, the Indians will benefit from having us here, playing with us and getting the right feedback.

You were once the youngest debutant for Arsenal. How was it to be a part of the London side when it went on a 49-match unbeaten run?

It was a great achievement. We got into every game feeling confident, thinking we can’t lose. 25-30% of football is confidence. If you get into a game with that you tend to do better. And in that team all of us had that confidence.

How difficult was it to break into the Gunners’ first team?

They had too many great players — Ray Parlour, Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires were playing in the wider positions. But maybe now Arsene would have gone about it differently because he is giving new players more chances. But in 2003-04 it was a new thing. As football grows newer players are coming in. If it was now I would have played more games.

How would you compare the Liverpool and Arsenal experience?

Liverpool was better because we were playing in the Champions League — and I was a first team regular, a Premier League regular. Arsenal was about fine tuning my game, learning as a young player and it was about making me the player to be. I am grateful to Arsenal for that.

How would you compare Rafa Benitez and Arsene Wenger as managers?

Rafa was more tactical whereas Arsene was better with technical play and his game was more free-flowing. Rafa was all about team shape. As you could see Liverpool had great discipline, but Arsenal was free-flowing.

What’s your take on the present Liverpool side under Brendan Rodgers?

Brendan has taken it forward from Swansea, they pass a lot. The massive difference for Liverpool from last season is Luis Suarez — he is a big player to lose. Without Suarez, Liverpool might not have finished second (last term).

Despite doing well at the club level you never got to play for England…

I did expect to play for England, especially when you play in the Champions League final. I am the only English player to play in the Champions League final and then not feature for the country. I remember after the final the England manager (Sven-Goran Eriksson) said “you are doing well” and I thought there’s a chance, but it never happened. Maybe there’s politics and I was a bit disappointed.

The famous English sports writer, Brian Glanville, said, “Jermaine is a better winger than Beckham.” What do you say about that?

(Laughs) It’s nice to hear that. End of the day Beckham has done great for both club and country. I was different from Beckham, I had pace and I could run past defenders, so maybe as a winger I was better. He is a great crosser, but even I could cross the ball. So it’s a little frustrating that it never happened. But that’s football. Beckham is great and he is more than a footballer, he is an icon.

Do you still dream of playing international football?

Definitely! I’m only 31 and there are players in the Premier League who are 34-35, so I still have my chance.

Will you prefer to play for Ireland or Jamaica? (Pennant is also eligible to play for these nations because of his ancestry.)

You can’t be picky. It’s international football. It’s great to play against nations, travel. If they come knocking on the door and if I can I will play for any of them.

What’s your opinion about the current England national side?

A lot of older players like Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have retired and they are giving the younger boys a chance, much like Germany. Germany had seven-eight players of their under-21 side, who went on to play the World Cup. England are trying to do the same, but you won’t see the results in a year or two, you will need time.

Germany and Spain have more licensed coaches compared to England. Do you think the grass-root model in both countries is better than England’s?

In Spain and Germany the grass-root is more technical, fluent and free-flowing. In England it’s too structured, so at a young age the players don’t develop the best way. They develop to play the England way whereas they should be able to express their ability. Young players in Spain are free and I remember when I was young and was playing against Barcelona, their boys were always more expressive.

http://www.sportstaronnet.com/tss3749/stories/20141206505903700.htm

‘ISL a great adventure’

Former French striker David Trezeguet is someone who has experienced agony and ecstasy in equal measure. While the 1998 World Cup win and the golden goal in the 2000 EURO final fall under the first category, Juventus’ relegation in 2006 after the Calciopoli scandal and his missed penalty in the World Cup final shootout the same year form a part of the latter.

Considered one of the best strikers of his generation, the 37-year-old, now with FC Pune City in the Indian Super League (ISL), shared his thoughts in an interview with Sportstar.

Excerpts:

Question: What are your early impressions of India?

Answer: Good. But it is important for the level of the game to keep improving. It will, over time. It is a great adventure and it will certainly get better.

You have played in the best leagues in the world. What made you come here?

For a new experience in life. Also, to give a hand and promote football in India and to show how professional footballers play in Europe and around the world.

Does the tag of a marquee player bring any pressure?

Absolutely no pressure.

What are the Indian players getting from you?

Basically professionalism. Learning day by day from experienced players, on how they train, their attitude and dedication to the game.

Pune had a training stint in Italy. What are the positives from that?

Right now if you see, it won’t seem much, because we are not first. But it could be important in the long run. It should give a heads-up because we have trained together for a good time.

You are 37 and yet look to be in good shape. But is it tougher in India’s humid conditions especially when you have to travel so much?

We have to adapt. It’s the coach’s job to keep us fresh. Since we play so many games in a week, he has to rotate the players. Some will play less, some more. But that’s fine.

You played for Juventus even after it was relegated. Other star players left. The ones at the club would have looked up to you in those tough times. Is it similar here where Indian players will also be looking to you for motivation?

This is something teams look for when they sign big players. It’s a same thing here too. ISL is also opting for players with experience to help Indians.

But why did you stay with Juventus even after the relegation?

I stayed back because the club gave me a lot and I had to be there at the moment of need. It was to give something back (to the club).

And prior to that, you played with the likes of Pavel Nedved, Zinedine Zidane and Alessandro Del Piero...

That’s the best one can ask for.

You went back to Argentina in 2010 to play for River Plate. What made you leave the lucrative European football? You would have definitely had suitors.

It was a personal choice. I had reached the maximum level at Juventus. I chose River Plate because I support River and it was a dream to play there.

Your career started in South America. Has its football changed since the days you left?

The last World Cup final was Germany versus Argentina. So things have changed for the better. Potential players come from South America, but they play in Europe because clubs like Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have the money and prestige. Lionel Messi, Neymar, James Rodriguez, Luis Suarez are all at the highest level in Europe.

You scored the golden goal in the 2000 EURO final. But in the 2006 World Cup final you missed a penalty. Does that still hurt?

No. It doesn’t. These things happen and we move on. In the museums, I see only the cups I have won.

Coming back to the ISL, how long do you plan to stay here?

It has been a good experience. But for the future, ISL has to look at itself, see how it has gone and what steps to take for the next edition. It has been an important step for Indian football. We will see how it goes and take a decision.

http://www.sportstaronnet.com/tss3749/stories/20141206506304000.htm

‘I am particularly proud to have won titles in three different decades’

It’s November. That time of the year when the tennis season winds down and the focus is on one single marquee event in London, the ATP World Tour Finals, featuring eight best singles and doubles players in the world. In 2014, it had added significance. A 33-year-old Swiss, in the autumn of his career, was chasing the World No. 1 ranking. In times when sport is almost always played at the extremes of physical and mental capabilities, it was stunning.

But for Leander Paes, another of those who has been presumed by many to be in his autumn for a decade now only to be proved wrong each single time, it was a peculiar state. Not since 2005 has he missed his date with the World Tour Finals. And not since 2007 has a year passed without him being in a single Grand Slam final.

“It has been a very tough year,” says the 41-year-old in chat with Sportstar. “Both on and off the court. But sometimes champions just have to persevere, find a way to keeps things positive and wait.”

An injury layoff at the start of the year and a custody battle for his daughter ensured that he dropped to 35 in the rankings, his worst in eleven years, after having started the year at seven. His year-end ranking is now 29.

But Paes, like many successful sportsmen, rarely let a trifling number get in his way. Be those many Slam victories, or the memorable Davis Cup wins, or his age, nothing seems to have got to him. But in the twilight of sporting career, a number isn’t just a mere number. It has a back-story to it.

If he dropped to the thirties in the rankings, mental stress and physical demands surely played a part. And when you are in the fourth decade of your life, the recovery is all the more difficult.

“There have been so many things to take care of,” he says. “But the hard work, the effort, the concentration levels et al have stayed the same. These hold true for any career.”

This desire to excel against all odds is perhaps the single most important thing that has held his career together for the last two and half decades. Its importance grows manifold when one takes into account the humungous change tennis has undergone.

“Supreme physical fitness is a perquisite,” he says. “Every player can run for hours. But alongside, the mental game has become very important. Especially with respect to how you anticipate things. The help of coaches is crucial. They are constantly scouting players and opponents, their areas of improvements among others. So tennis as a sport has become highly competitive.”

Like Miroslav Klose in football, Paes can be seen as a bridge between the current and the bygone eras. Tennis was once a fast, touch based game. Now, more often than not, it is a marathon baseline slugfest. Akin to football, it is more tactical and technical than ever before. As a result, Paes, near the turn of the century, shifted completely to doubles from singles, except in Davis Cup.

“After I won the Olympic bronze in 1996, then the Asian games medal, (my Davis Cup singles record was very good then), I found that the game had evolved. The courts slowed and balls became heavier. For a serve-and-volley player like me, I had to choose. I couldn’t have played both because the duration of a singles matches were so much that I had no energy left for doubles. By playing doubles I realised I could play for really long.”

To stretch a career is every sportsman’s want, but not for everybody do things fall in place. For this Paes has his backroom team to thank.

“I am very lucky to have a great team. Rick Leach my coach has been there for 19 years. He has won Grand Slams. My fitness trainer, Dave Herman, has been with me for 23 years. My travelling companion and yoga master Sanjay Singh for 24 years. And finally my father Vece Paes, has been my doctor my whole life. These guys know me inside out.”

Set against this stability and continuity are his on court experiments with 98 doubles partners and 23 mixed-doubles partners. But instances of these different concoctions not coming out well have, quite miraculously, been rare.

“I am very clear about what my strengths are,” he says when asked what he looks for in his partner. “So I need the other player to excel in areas where I am weaker. The both of us need to complement each other so that there are no holes in the game. I usually look for tall, big servers, adept at the baseline. Also a good communicator and one with a relaxed personality.”

Picking the best among these many team-mates is indeed tough. But one with whom Paes shares a special bond, is the legendary Martina Navratilova, with whom he played mixed-doubles for three years from 2003 to 2005 and won two Slams.

“Martina has been one of my closest confidants and one of my best friends. Alongside being the player she was with her history, titles and versatility for so many decades, she has been a champion of life. A champion throughout.”

In fact, in 2003, when Paes partnered Navratilova to the title at the Australian Open, she became the oldest female Grand Slam winner at 46. She then went on to win the U.S. Open mixed doubles in 2006. And not to be left behind, Paes got his own ‘oldest-ever’ record. At the 2013 U. S. Open, in the company of Radek Stepanek, he became the oldest male Grand Slam winner at 40.

“More than that, I am particularly proud to have won titles in three different decades. It’s great to keep adding to a list of your victories.”

But for many back home, Paes’ identity has always been that of the torch-bearer of the Indian Davis Cup dreams. When he and Rohan Bopanna combined to win the doubles rubber against Serbia recently, which he termed one of his “best-ever”, it was his 41st doubles win in the competition. No other active player has more. Also he ranks only below Italian Nicola Pietrangeli, who has 42 wins. Paes also has the most number of wins (doubles & singles combined) among active players at 89.

It was more than a decade back when an acclaimed writer wrote in these very columns that “In the pantheon of Indian sport, the Gavaskars, Tendulkars, Krishnans and Anands may demand — and deserve too — more prominent places than Paes, but no man who has ever played for India can claim to have done so with greater pride and commitment and with a bigger heart than India's Davis Cup hero.”

In the days since then, he has won 10 majors and as recently as September, when he won the doubles title at the Malaysian Open, he created a record for having won at least a title every year since 1997.

Yet, when he says “my biggest title, the Olympic bronze,” it shows where his heart lies. His patriotic zeal remains unparalleled as he marches towards the 2016 Rio Olympics which can make him the only living athlete to compete in seven Olympics.

http://www.sportstaronnet.com/tss3748/stories/20141129507905700.htm

A tournament entirely for India

Tennis is perhaps one of the few sports that do not have a time-quotient. A match can be scheduled for three hours, but it can end in one or stretch beyond three. This, according to the purists, contributes to the sport’s beauty.

But in 2005, for the first time in more than 30 years until then, the scoring system was tinkered with. In an ATP tournament in Beijing, doubles sets were played to six games with a tiebreak at 5-5. Then in Tokyo, sets were played to five with a tiebreak at 4-4. Both had no-ad games. The French pair of Fabrice Santoro and Michael Llodra even won a match 3-5, 5-4, 5-4. Later on, a match tiebreaker to 10 points was proposed instead of the third set.

However, these changes didn’t cut much ice. Since then, only the match tiebreak and the no-ad scoring have survived and none of the experiments has even touched singles.

Now, these changes are set to make a comeback, albeit not on the ATP tour, but in the two cash-rich city-based tennis leagues that will be played in India over the next two months — Vijay Amritraj’s Champions Tennis League (CTL) and Mahesh Bhupathi’s International Tennis Premier League (ITPL).

At a time when international tournaments in India are few and far between, these two leagues, with their battery of international superstars, are seeking to fill the void. In a chat with Sportstar, Vijay Amritraj, tells us how it will help Indian tennis, the idea behind the format and its long-term goals.

Excerpts:

Question: What made you think of CTL?

Answer: About three or four years ago, we wanted to get another event in India apart from the Chennai Open. Around 20 years back, when I was the ATP president, I brought the Chennai Open. People look forward to it every year whether or not the stars are playing. But one tournament is not enough. Consistent live action with international stars is missing. So this endeavour.

How will it benefit Indian tennis?

It gives an opportunity for our Davis Cup players to play alongside international stars. One can see how these stars think, strategise, practise, eat and so on.

Apart from them, it will also help inspire the next set of youngsters — those below 20. Because Chennai Open has nothing to do with juniors, it’s pretty much an international tournament. Here they get an opportunity to be on the same team with them. For example, Ramkumar Ramanathan will have Thomas Enqvist as his captain and will play doubles with Feliciano Lopez, which is great.

Do you think a part of this money and sponsorship would be better spent holding more Challengers, which will actually help the players climb the rankings?

Here I feel the All India Tennis Association (AITA) has done very well. There are so many tournaments in India, both Challengers and Futures. We never had these 20 years ago. Earlier, to get to 300 in the rankings from around 1000 you had to go overseas. Not anymore. One can get to 250 only by playing at home which is a huge plus. From there, it’s up to the individual.

ATP’s executive chairman and President Chris Kermode recently termed ITPL as ‘Glorified Exhibition’. How different is CTL?

This is entirely for India — for the Davis Cup players and the juniors. It has international stars in action only in India. Also, the players who are in the team are committed to play in all matches.

In the ITPL, Roger Federer is playing for the Micromax India Aces only in Delhi, but not in Singapore. I don’t know how it works. For a team you need to play everywhere. Here Venus Williams will play for Bangalore everywhere. It builds a real team environment, makes it really competitive and more interesting for the public to follow.

City based leagues are increasing — like the Indian Badminton League, then Pro-Kabaddi and the Indian Super League football. These have, however, retained the essence of the game. With the CTL, there is some tinkering. No-ad scoring, nine-point tiebreakers at 5-5 instead of 6-6, and so on. Is there an apprehension that this might not be well received?

Not really. The basics remain the same. It’s still two serves. The courts, the balls, the equipment are the same. The no-ad scoring is to cut short the game. (No possibility of seemingly endless deuce games).

The tiebreaker is not much different. In the early days, they used to be at eight games all. In the late seventies, we moved to six-all. Time constraint and TV scheduling has much to do with these changes. It’s like the difference that exists between Tests and One-Day Internationals, although I don’t like to make this comparison because one is an individual sport and the other a team sport.

What’s the long-term objective? How will the brand be sustained?

The franchises have been signed for a nine-year period and television rights for five years. So, it’s long-term. It does help that the sport as a career option is getting traction. So many players are getting paid. This is a big positive.

Also, there are so many leagues in the country now. This is something that I never dreamt of when I played. This has made it appealing for both TV and sponsorships will come in.

What is the growth you are expecting in the coming years? Any new franchises?

The entire thing is based on the ATP and WTA calendars. It’s challenging. If we can get two full weeks it will be great. We can do more.

* * *

CTL format

Six teams - Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad - of four players each are divided into two groups.

Each team will play the other two in its group on home and away basis.

Each match will consist of five sets. Each set will be played by different sets of players. So, there will be a set each of legends, mixed doubles, women's singles, men's doubles and men's singles.

A set will have a nine-point tiebreaker at 5-5 and no-ad scoring. In the traditional 12-point tiebreaker, the first to reach 7 points with at least a 2-point difference over the opponent will win the set. If not, it prolongs until there is a difference of two points. In a nine-point tiebreaker, the first to reach 5 wins. Even 5-4 is allowed.

The team which has the highest aggregate of games over five sets wins the match.

The teams with the highest number of games (not sets) won in their respective groups, will play the final.

http://www.sportstaronnet.com/stories/20141122507905400.htm

Gouramangi set to test his skills

Gouramangi Singh, capped 71 times by India, has been a prolific performer in the domestic circuit, and had won the AIFF ‘Player of the Year’ award in 2010. The 28-year-old, who hails from Manipur, is now eager to test his skills against quality opposition in the inaugural ISL. The Chennaiyin FC defender spoke to The Hindu about his expectations from the new League.

Excerpts:

How different has the experience been compared to your time with I-League clubs?

The approach has been very positive so far, with the involvement of big stars — both on and off the field. Only the training ground has been a concern. But everything else — from the hotel, to food, to nutritionist, to physios — is so much better compared to what I have experienced before. It’s a big thing for us to enjoy such professional organisation off the field.

What about the on-field changes?

You can’t change the quality of Indian players [overnight] but the approach has been good. My generation [of players] always wanted to test our quality against the best in the world but there was not much opportunity. But now the ISL is trying to replicate the European football atmosphere here. Lot of good things will happen to Indian football over the next five to 10 years. Few of the best players in the world are here and the intensity of training is completely different. Of course the stadiums and other infrastructure cannot improve in a year. So, things are not perfect yet but it’s a great start.

But can the I-League and ISL co-exist?

Let’s not think about that now and just concentrate on the next three months. We can debate, listen to opinions and reach a decision once the ISL is over.

How has it been working with Marco Materazzi?

He has been very approachable and nice. He is always pushing us. The environment at the training ground is very positive and his encouragement motivates us.

How important will be the role of Indian players?

It’s a team game. So it’s equally important. And from the first day Marco has emphasised that. Even M.S. Dhoni [co-owner] said the dressing room has to be united. So we are trying to know each other.

Which team do you think has the best Indian players?

I feel it’s equally balanced. Because the domestic draft was a much better option than an auction.

And what are your expectations?

We have a short time to acclimatise and we are working hard. At the end of the day I want to play the ISL final.

http://www.thehindu.com/sport/football/gouramangi-set-to-test-his-skills/article6486227.ece

Koke rescues NorthEast with late equaliser

It was Chennaiyin FC’s toughest test so far, facing a fast, youthful and high-pressing side in NorthEast United FC. In the end, not much separated the two, with the all-too-well-known individual brilliance of Elano and the relentless pressure applied by the away team ensuring a 2-2 draw on Saturday.

On the eve of the match, it was expected to be a battle between contrasting styles and on matchday, it played out more or less the same way. There was much improvement from Chennai in terms of build-up play, the first sign of which appeared around the quarter-hour mark with Elano, John Stiven Mendoza and Harmanjot Khabra stitching together a delightful passing move on the right flank.  

It also helped that Materazzi took a more advanced role and constantly drifted forward. This played a part in the opening goal. It was surprising that the towering Italian wasn’t closed down before he passed leftwards to Denson Devadas, who curled in a neat cross.

Elano beat Capdevila at the near-post with a perfectly timed jump to head the ball in for his seventh goal in six matches.

Ascendency

However, the first half ended with NEUFC on the ascendency. The side pushed forward relentlessly. While James Keene started as a forward, Koke, who started just behind him, and defensive midfielder Felipe de Castro often switched positions. The duo was outstanding throughout the match, tracking down every ball and providing the attacking thrust whenever needed.

On the other hand, the NEUFC wide defenders often played on the overlap. One such run by the right-back Aibor Khongjee resulted in the equaliser on 38 minutes, when he crossed for James Keene to unselfishly head it towards Seimeinlen Doungel.

It was a defensive mix-up with none of the Chennai defenders trying to dispossess him. Len finished it with a clean left-footed strike.

In the second half, Chennai’s attacks were almost always nipped in the bud.

Its players were hurried into making passes in the centre of the pitch and they lost possession easily. However, NEUFC didn’t do much after having won the ball. 

With barely 10 minutes left, he danced past two defenders looking for an outstretched leg. But like much of the match, the NEUFC players refrained from fouling deep inside their half. But Elano shot through a defender’s leg to make it 2-1. 

A tackle from behind in the 83rd minute by Elano on Castro near the halfway line earned him a yellow.

From the resulting free-kick, which was taken after a protracted tussle between players, Khongjee crossed.

In another defensive mix-up, Gouramangi Singh and Bernard Mendy both went for the same ball and lost it.

A superb volley from Koke into the far right corner salvaged a point for NEUFC.

With the result Chennai remains second with 11 points, but has played a game less than table-topper Atletico de Kolkata (12). NEUFC (9) is up to fourth on goal difference.

The result:

Chennaiyin FC 2 (Elano 25, 78) drew with NorthEast United FC 2 (Len 38, Koke 85).

http://www.thehindu.com/sport/football/indian-super-league-koke-rescues-northeast-with-late-equaliser/article6578674.ece

NEUFC looks to go back with a win

For NorthEast United FC, Saturday’s game against Chennaiyin FC will mark the culmination of a hectic away schedule. It will be the team’s fourth game on the road. It has won, drawn and lost a game each during this period.

A positive result at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will go some way in assuaging fears about a side which has blown hot and cold so far.

“We are looking forward to it,” said manager Rickie Herbert. “We enjoy being on the road. These players have played together in the I-League. Now it’s the ISL. Different atmosphere, bigger stadiums, bigger crowds… It’s a learning curve.”

Going into the match, of particular concern for the fifth-placed Highlanders will be their goal-scoring ability and fatigue due to their high-pressing approach. It has scored only four goals in six matches and after having given an impressive account of its style of play against the Delhi Dynamos, it came a cropper against FC Pune City, losing 1-0.

“We have also conceded just four (goals),” said Herbert. “So we have stayed competitive. Rehenesh has been a revelation in the goal. It’s a confidence thing for the strikers. We have created chances but haven’t been able to convert. So I hope it turns around.”

On his team’s playing style Herbert said, “We are very good at it. I don’t see any problem. Probably we are the best passing side in the league. Against Pune it was just an off day when everybody was collectively a notch below their best.”

In Chennai, which, with a win could go top, it will be up against a team which has so far chosen to sit back and play on the counter. Elano and John Stiven Mendoza have moulded into a lethal partnership when playing long balls, but the lack of creativity and build-up play in the final third should be a worry. “They are fast and youthful. But we have done our preparations and would look to implement them,” said assistant coach Vivek Nagul. Some of those might be in the midfield area which Nagul said will see some changes.

It remains to be seen if Marco Materazzi has the legs to start his third game in a row. Deep-lying playmaker Bojan Djordjic, who has a lingering shoulder problem and didn’t play in the previous match against Atletico de Kolkata, and N.P. Pradeep might see some action.

Former Manchester United midfielder Eric Djemba Djemba, Chennai’s latest signing, is unlikely to feature having joined the team only on Thursday.

http://www.thehindu.com/sport/football/indian-super-league-neufc-looks-to-go-back-with-a-win/article6575632.ece