Everybody, including referees, must improve as ISL grows: Coyle
Coyle also highlighted the global audience of the Indian Super League (ISL) and expressed the need for continuous improvement within the league.
Owen Coyle during a training session with Chennaiyin FC.
CHENNAI: Chennaiyin’s season has been marked by a pattern of dropping points, making comebacks, only to drop points again. Chennaiyin will take on Mumbai City FC away from home in its final game of this year on Thursday.
While Chennaiyin faced initial concerns about dropping points consecutively at the start of the season, those issues were manageable and could be addressed for improvement. However, the points lost due to questionable refereeing decisions are beyond the control of Owen Coyle or anyone in the club.
Reflecting on the harsh decisions against Chennaiyin in its recent away game at Delhi, Coyle emphasised the importance of getting ‘Key Match Incidents’ right, acknowledging the challenging nature of the job of a referee.
Coyle also highlighted the global audience of the Indian Super League (ISL) and expressed the need for continuous improvement within the league. He emphasised that coaches, players, and referees all play a role in enhancing the league’s quality. “Everyone here wants to promote the league and so as a coach, I have to get better, players need to get better and the same accounts for referees as well,” said Coyle.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has convened a meeting on December 31 with the referees’ council to address and improve the refereeing standards in the country. Coyle stressed the significance of all stakeholders collaborating to rectify issues, ensuring the league’s positive projection globally.
“The league is probably viewed in more than 50 countries and the refereeing standards should project the league in good light. I believe everybody should come together and improve what’s wrong and I’m sure it’d certainly benefit everyone,” added Coyle.
Defender Lazar Cirkovic echoed similar views regarding the unfortunate decisions that went against the club, costing them crucial points. Despite facing challenges, he emphasised the team’s commitment to improvement, citing progress in defensive performance when compared to the early games of the season.
Chennaiyin FC will be without some key players, Ankit Mukherjee’s availability for the upcoming match is uncertain due to the knock he picked against Punjab FC. Both Rahim Ali and Farukh Choudhary have started training with the squad.