ISL 2022-23: I love being here and I want to create something special at Chennaiyin FC – Thomas Brdaric

Chennaiyin FC head coach Thomas Brdaric has revealed he loves being at the club and wants to create something special. The ninth season of the Hero Indian Super League was the debut season for Brdaric, being in charge of the team.

The Marina Machans ended their campaign on a high with a 4-3 win against NorthEast United FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai on Friday. With this win, Chennaiyin FC finished the season in the eighth position in the standings, with eight wins from 20 matches and a total of 27 points.

Meanwhile, it was a see-saw game between Chennaiyin FC and NorthEast United FC as the pendulum kept swinging. Rahim Ali opened the scoring for the home team as he scored in the third minute. However, Wilmar Jordan equalized in the second half. Karikari then gave a 2-1 lead to his team in the 56th minute whereas Anirudh Thapa strengthened the hosts lead after six minutes.

However, Parthib got one back for the visitors in the 74th minute and then Jordan scored his second goal in the 81st minute to equalize. But there was another twist in the tale as Sajal scored in the 90th minute to give the final lead to his team.

Sharing his thoughts on the season, Thomas Brdaric said, “The whole season has been full of ups and downs, it was a positive end, but unfortunately it is not enough to qualify for the playoffs. We deserved the points tonight, we dictated the game and created a lot of chances but also due to some mistakes on our end we finished the season three points short of the top six. The boys have shown fight, and I am very proud of them for it,” Brdaric said in the official post-match press conference.

The German added that the team still has a lot to learn and they must tick all the right boxes to come up with the goods.

“In professional football, we have to understand that when you are on the field, you must deliver. We have to protect the lead, defend well, and be active in the game. Luckily, we bounced back in the game, but it was not our objective to let the opponent score three goals after taking a 3-1 lead early on. That is why we have a lot to work on in the future. I hope the players learn from this season and prepare well with a proper mindset,” he said.

Brdaric urged the club’s fans to be patient and feels the results will come their way if they improve themselves in the next edition.

“We have to be patient and make smart decisions in the future about the players. Everybody will have the opportunity to prove themselves in the upcoming Hero Super Cup, and I want the fans to support them and stick together. Then we will decide which player will stay for the upcoming season with CFC,” he stated.

“I love being here and I want to create something special at CFC,” he added.