Indian defender Gouramangi Singh is confident that the mix of top foreign players and their lesser-known Indian counterparts would gel well gradually to make Chennaiyin FC a force to reckon with in the Indian Super League starting on Sunday.
“It’s a month now that we have been training together.
Earlier there were 3- foreigners in a team (I-eague), now there are larger numbers. I would say the quality of training or intensity is much higher,” said the 28-year-old central defender in Mumbai on Thursday.
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“But we are just training now and the real thing will start on the 12th. Things will fall into place slowly. Let’s see how things go in the first couple of games.”
Gouramangi said he was not really thinking about whether he can be in the starting XI in a line-up that has some top defeders such as World Cup-winning Italian great Marco Materazzi, who is the team’s player-manager, and ex-Paris Saint Germain stalwart Bernard Mendy to do the job.
“I don’t think about getting into the starting XI. Everyone is pushing hard. Let’s see on (October) 15th who plays,” said the defender from Imphal.
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He was referring to Chennayin’s opening league clash against FC Goa in the latter’s backyard -- Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Fatorda.
Gourmangi said though more time would have been better in preparing the team, no one was complaining.
“I would love to have had 2-3 months training before the tournament but it’s not the case. We can’t be complaining about it,” he said.