ISL 2022-23: We aren’t a top-six team with the players we have: East Bengal FC’s Stephen Constantine

East Bengal FC head coach Stephen Constantine admitted they aren’t a top-six team with the kind of players they have in the ongoing Hero Indian Super League 2022-23. East Bengal FC suffered a 2-0 loss against Chennaiyin FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai on Sunday.

The Kolkata-based club has won only five matches out of the 18 games they have played and they are currently tottering at the ninth place in the standings with a total of 16 points.

The first half ended in a goalless draw but Chungnunga scored an own goal right after the break. Rahim Ali then scored in the 87th minute to give a 2-0 lead to the home team.

“The players that we have at the moment don’t make us a top-six team. You can’t just wish for it if you don’t have the players,” he said during the post-match press conference.

“We worked very hard and we have won more games than we have won before. We were on a two-game unbeaten streak coming into this game and considering everything it’s not a season that we would have liked to have had but next season we would be better prepared and hopefully, we will be in the top six next season,” he added.

The visitors took one shot on target but they had their chances in the first half, which they could not grab.

“I think we didn’t score the 2-3 chances that we had and then in the first 5-6 minutes of the second half we concede the goal. After that, we were chasing the game and that leaves you susceptible to the counter-attack which happened for the last goal,” he said.

Constantine added that he will try to put the best team possible in the last two matches against Mumbai City FC and ATK Mohun Bagan.

“I am all for the development of younger players but we need results. We don’t plan to put the reserve team out against Mumbai City FC who are the champions and against ATK Mohun Bagan. That’s not possible. We will put the best eleven players we have and look to get something out of these last two games,” he concluded.

East Bengal FC will next take on Mumbai City FC on Sunday at the Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai.