ISL 2020-21: SC East Bengal coach Robbie Fowler clarifies statement on Indian players
ISL 2020: "I obviously didn't mean to disrespect anyone. There are lots of good Indian players around, but their understanding of the game can always be better," Robbie Fowler said.
Published : Dec 04, 2020 18:13 IST
SC East Bengal head coach Robbie Fowler on Friday claimed that his comments on his side’s Indian contingent at the end of the 0-3 loss against Mumbai City FC were taken out of context.
After the game on Tuesday, the former Brisbane Roar coach gave a damning assessment of the technical quality of Indian players in his squad. "Some Indian players look like they haven't been coached before," said Fowler, whose side is rooted to the bottom of the 2020-21 Indian Super League standings.
Ahead of the match against NorthEast United FC, Fowler, offered an explanation to his statement.
READ | 'Some Indian players look like they haven't been coached before' - Robbie Fowler
"I obviously didn't mean to disrespect anyone. There are lots of good Indian players around, but their understanding of the game can always be better. We have a certain philosophy and we’re trying to get all our players accustomed to it. My comment has been used out of context on social media," said the East Bengal manager.
"This is a huge club and when you put that Red and Gold shirt on, you take on a massive responsibility. This is applicable for all our players, regardless of whether they are Indians or foreigners. We’re very happy with the squad and the players will get better with time. We have each other’s back.
"There are a lot of good players in India but some aren't great. I don’t want to sugarcoat anything. There are talented and technically gifted players but there needs to be better understanding of the game. I am trying to be a realist," he added.
Fowler also feels that a little more consistency from his players will be the key to their turnaround in the ongoing ISL edition.
"Everything is driven by results in this country. We know that results are important, but we haven’t played badly, despite not having the best of starts. For example, in our second game against Mumbai City FC, we had a great chance of going 1-0 up. We need to be more consistent and our concentration levels need to be high in terms of capitalizing on the chance," the former Liverpool FC striker said.