ISL 2019-20: Cuadrat hits back at Schattorie after unwarranted criticism

Eelco Schattorie's view that only his side was ‘playing football’ in Kerala Blasters’ defeat to Bengaluru FC did not sit well with Carles Cuadrat.

Carles Cuadrat believes that Eelcc Schattorie’s criticism of Bengaluru FC was unwarranted.

Carles Cuadrat has hit back at Kerala Blasters coach Eelco Schattorie following the latter’s unkind assessment of Bengaluru FC’s efforts in Saturday’s Indian Super League (ISL) clash.

Schattorie, whose side lost 1-0 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium , remarked post-match that “there was only one team playing football”. The Dutchman, whose view seemed somewhat divorced from reality given that his own side had failed to muster a single shot on target, added: “In the first half, we had Bengaluru by the throat. My tactics were spot on, with only three foreigners, and two Indian centre-backs. They (BFC) had nothing to say in their own home. We deserved to win.”

Speaking to reporters at the Bangalore Football Stadium on Wednesday, Cuadrat vehemently disagreed with his counterpart’s analysis of the game.

“Coaches should give serious tactical analysis,” he said, adding, “If you see the game, (Bartholomew) Ogbeche did not get any chance to shoot, not even one time. Gurpreet (Singh Sandhu, goalkeeper) did not have to go to the floor even once. We saw Raphael Augusto arriving at the penalty spot completely alone two times. We saw in the set-piece (the corner that led to the winning goal) how the best Indian striker in the history of the ISL (Sunil Chhetri) arrives into the box completely alone. So there is a lot of work behind all that and my players are doing that work.”

The BFC boss felt Schattorie’s criticism of his side had been unwarranted. “Everybody can express his opinion, no question about that,” said Cuadrat. “But I belong to a sports culture where when we lose a game, we congratulate the other team and we look at our own house, not the house of the opponent. I heard that there was only one team on the pitch or something like that.

“When I talk about sports culture, it comes from Barcelona, of course – I was there for 20 years. (FC Goa coach, Sergio) Lobera or (Odisha coach, Josep) Gombau, they also come from this school. And it’s a good example when you see that they never are talking about their opponents. It's a culture of sports – it’s a way to understand things. It's better for the competition.”

Cuadrat's side takes on Hyderabad FC next on Friday.