CFL 2019/20: Ramon Calls For Bravery Ahead Of George Telegraph Tie
August 28, 2019, KOLKATA: Coach Saheed Ramon has called on his troops to show hunger going into tomorrow’s Calcutta Premier Division ‘A’ clash against George Telegraph. “I am calling on all in the team to bring their A-game. We have to, everyone should show bravery.”
Ramon has expressed confidence in his side ahead of the 3 pm kick-off at Mohammedan Sporting Ground.
“We will do all that is possible to win this game,” the Nigerian mentor added. “That’s if we go in with full confidence and the will to win. We have all what it takes to win any match. Of course, George Telegraph are a tough opponent, but they are not an exception. We must use all what’s in our control to take charge of this match. The players are getting the message of what we want to achieve. It’s a matter of time that we start seeing a steady but upward movement in our trajectory.”
“There’s little time between games to recover,” continues Ramon, while pointing out that Mohammedan SC and the other Premier Division teams have to play a game every two to three days. “When you have a congested fixture list, you don’t get a chance to conduct many training sessions to work on, for example, tactics, because the focus is more on the recovery of the players, managing fatigue and fitness.”
The Nigerian also poured cold water on the early league positions of the various sides. “Current form doesn’t give much of an indication at this early stage of the league. All the games are difficult, because most teams are still working on getting their combinations and rhythm right.”
Mohammedan SC, who played three consecutive draws to begin the campaign, are searching for their first three points and Ramon is well aware of the challenge his side is facing. “George Telegraph are a difficult side and we will respect them. They are difficult to break with their disciplined structured play and immense enthusiasm. They also have several good players in their squad. We have our strong players to match them though.”
On Wednesday morning, Ramon took his charges through the final preparation for the match. After carefully watching his charges going through the light practice, Ramon was brimming with confidence; however, he has “massive concerns” about Mohammedan Sporting Ground’s surface.
“We have prepared very well for this match, but the playing surface is a real concern for me. We may need to tweak our tactical approach.” concluded Ramon. “We are looking for maximum points in every match we play. It won’t be a real attractive game of football; we’ll have to get down and dirty to get a result.”