I didn’t want to sign players for the sake of it: Owen Coyle

CHENNAI: It was a very quiet winter transfer window for Chennaiyin FC as they get ready to face 11th-placed Bengaluru FC

away from home in its first match in the second leg of the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL) on Wednesday.

Head coach Owen Coyle had expressed his desire midway through the first half of the season to bring in new players who would suit his style. However, that wasn’t the case, as Mobashir Rahman was the only player to join the club on loan from East Bengal.

“We tried very hard,” said Coyle, discussing the recently concluded transfer season. He pointed out that there were plenty of players available, but he didn’t want to sign players just for the sake of it. “I wanted bonafide starters; I didn’t want to bring in players and put them on the bench,” he added.

Chennaiyin FC, currently placed ninth in the league standings, faces a daunting task to qualify for the playoffs. “We look forward to the second half of the season, with six games at home and four away. That presents us with a great opportunity to qualify for the playoffs, and that’s our aim,” said Coyle.

The club hasn’t been the biggest spender lately, and Coach Coyle seems to shrug it off, looking ahead to what’s next. He said, “Our club hasn’t been to the playoffs for a long time now, and all we (the club) aim to do is slowly build a team that gives us hope.”