Professional touch gave Bengaluru the edge

MARGAO: "I congratulate the Bengaluru FC team, the coach and management. They have done a splendid job, both on the field and off it. It is great for Indian football as they have brought a very professional approach to the table. They have very talented youngsters, experienced quality and committed seniors and quality foreign players. They had an ideal blend and the coach did a great job," said Dempo coach Arthur Papas.
"I think my boys played well. They have grown in maturity and shown quality in their performance. We conceded soft goals and that proved costly. We had seven under-23 players in our line-up, three in the first eleven. I am confident, many of these players will go on to play for the senior India team for a long time," added Papas.
Coming back to the newly capped I-League champions, Bengaluru FC, Papas pointed out that all the I-League clubs should take a leaf out of Bengaluru's book. "They are professional right up to handling the players in the dressing room before a match and after. The players are attended to personally on all fronts, and that personal touch, among several other aspects, helps," he said.
To be more precise, among other aspects of taking care of the players, there is a state-of-the-art massage table along with another one, that is carted by the support staff for all away matches to help the players relax before and after a match.
"I just want to congratulate and thank everybody connected to the club who has made this possible. We have shown what can be achieved with a combined team effort. I just hope everybody realizes how big an achievement this has been for a brand new club and I would also like to say a special thanks to the fans who made Bangalore a special place to play for all of us," said Bengaluru FC coach Ashley Westwood, who had to watch this memorable moment unfold from the stands instead of being in the thick of action, as he was serving a one-match ban for using offensive language against the referee in the Mohun Bagan clash.
"We never gave ourselves a chance of even finishing in the top five. But we had our target. But the management backed us all the way and the coach did what he does best, turned this team into a champion side.
"The boys did a fantastic job. They believed in themselves and played as one tight unit. They were disciplined on and off the field, showed great commitment and worked hard. The title is the result of their hard work and the management's holistic professional approach. We will now have to work harder to take our game to the next level and showcase India at the Asia Cup level. The challenge is going to be tougher and the team will working harder," said assistant coach Pradyuman Reddy, who was at the helm in Westwood's absence on the bench on Monday.