FCBU look to continue from where they had left

It's been a long break for FC Bengaluru United. The Bengaluru team had been riding high in the Second Division League before the pandemic put a stop to their quest for I-League promotion.

As the I-League qualifiers are set to restart on Thursday, the team - just like the four others in the competition - has gone through a makeover. Having fielded an all-Indian side in the first phase, FCBU have chopped and changed - 20 new faces and two foreigners - their line-up.

"We had a good momentum in the previous segment played in Jan to March. We had a chance to look at where exactly we needed to make changes," said FCBU coach Richard Hood. "From last year's squad we could see 2-3 faces continue in the first XI. That is also because of the response of others to the challenges that has been thrown to them."

Mohammad Asrar Rehbar and Hardik Bhatt are among the old faces. There is local boy Vignesh Gunashekar as well, all of who have ensured continuity. Foreigners Robert Primus and William Opoku have been added to bolster the line-up along with proven Indian players like Rana Gharami and Azharuddin Mallick among others.

"The team looks good. It is not about giving everybody playing minutes but the best performing players will get the maximum minutes. That's how it has been from day one. We managed to get a deep insight of the squad because we were all in the camp away from everyone. We have confidence in how we want to play," Hood said about the preparations.

While the team heads into the tournament as one of the favourites, Hood is quick to dismiss the label.

"Every team is fresh. Even the format.. we are all jumping into something that is so high stakes. It's all new, even the rule of five substitutions. If you see, all teams have been able to secure some reputed players across the board. We will take a game at a time," he said citing that they are playing for a prize that normally comes at the end of the season at the beginning itself.

The teams are now in the bubble in Kolkata and already, one player from FCBU has tested positive for Covid-19. It was always a possibility. Adding another challenge on top of having to adjust to the conditions, which at this time of the year can be a challenge with waterlogs and heat, the cramped fixture list with matches scheduled at 12:30 pm and 4:30 pm afternoon.

But FCBU are determined to give it their all.

"The club is ambitious in rising up the ranks. If we secure promotion, it gives us a chance to offer these players contracts. From FCBU's perspective, we get some certainty, stability and clarity in terms of how we plan our processes, the I-League will allow us to do that. Apart from feeling the excitement and getting in all of our energies behind this goal to ensure that Bengaluru comes back into the I-League."