BFC will be competitive: Cuadrat

Carles Cuadrat

The operative phrase for Bengaluru FC this season is #BackOnOurFeet. It's the hashtag the club has used in their attempts to promote small businesses in the city following the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. The phrase, however, rings true for the team as well. With under a week left before the start of the Indian Super League, Bengaluru FC are hard at work.

Last season was less than ideal for the club. They were beaten by eventual champions ATK, after going 2-0 up on aggregate, in the semifinals of ISL. There was also the AFC Cup campaign which ended quickly and painfully even before the group stages. For a club used to success, it was a disaster.

So here they are, trying to get back on their feet.

"I think we will be competitive," said BFC head coach Carles Cuadrat. "We have a better squad from last season. The technical staff has identified the good and bad things from last season and tried to improve. It is my job to make it competitive and reach the final again. It depends on a lot of things. But we will try our best."

If things were difficult last season, it will be much harder this time around. Even keeping aside the struggles of the bio-bubble, the league is longer, thanks to the addition of SC East Bengal, and the foreign recruits are better. But, continuity bodes well for Cuadrat's team. They have kept the core and added players in areas that needed strengthening. Their reserve players, promoted this season, are also in good nick. The pre-season, curtailed as it is, has been focused on fitness and fine-tuning the tactical approach.

"I can say that the Indian contingent is doing very well as they have been training from the first week of October. The foreigners, most of them started their training late, but that cannot be an excuse," said Cuadrat.

"I'm happy that I have a very competitive team. Some of them can be successful, some not. The important thing is that we have got players for different roles. We can use different tactics and can be competitive in both attack and defence," added the 52-year-old citing ATK Mohun Bagan and Mumbai City FC as major players.

With a long time without football and a short pre-season, injuries will play a big role and the Spanish tactician is counting on the youngsters.

"It's clear that injuries are going to happen. It’s very good that we have five substitutions. (In regards to the young players), you have to be in action for a while to understand the tactics, what the profession demands, to make the right decision at the right moment. I can see players like Leon (Augustine), Ajith (Kumar), (Namgyal) Bhutia, Roshan (Singh) evolving and growing."

But the biggest challenge will be mental fitness and the club is doing it’s part in ensuring the players get all the support they need, including starting their mental health programme.

"We cannot imagine now, the kind of situations that we have to live in the next few months. We will have to work on that. The real challenge will start at the end of December when players with more participation will be in one mood and the ones with less participation will be in another. It will be Christmas time and that will be another scenario," remarked the former Barcelona man.