Suman Chakravorty: Douglas Silva has been rated to be one of the finest foreign midfielders ever to don the East Bengal colours. The Brazilian also was the part of the Red & Gold squad who won the last national league title for the Kolkata giant. This season could turn out to be the last season in the history of the I-League. Despite a decent start, East Bengal had a hat-trick of defeats after the first couple of games. Douglas Silva spoke to www.xtratime.in about the problems and remedy of his former club to get rid of this situation. Here goes the conversation:
XtraTime: East Bengal is now having one of the biggest financial investors of the country as Quess group has come in. Still they are struggling in the I-League. What’s the exact problem according to u?
Douglas: Money is one of the most important things to make a team like East Bengal but you must know how to spend it.
XtraTime: East Bengal now have a former Real Madrid B Team – Castilla Head Coach Alejandro Menendez Garcia as a gaffer. Still they had a hat-trick of defeats in the I-League. 15 years gone, every coach had struggled here to win the title. Reason?
Douglas: It’s does not matter with whom he worked before and what he had done before. It’s gone already. But it’s early to make any comment about the coach’s job, as he is an experienced coach and he will work hard to change it for sure.
XtraTime: East Bengal now have the best quality of foreigners in the I-League. Still they are struggling to score goals. Your tip of advice?
Douglas: They are good players I know but they need time to adjust and understand how to play with Indian players. They came from different schools and they must change few things to prove that they are different.
XtraTime: Do you still believe East Bengal can win the title from here on?
Douglas: Surely. Why not! The way they lost the last 3 games, if they win the next 3 or 4 games, they will start getting confident and fight for the title.
XtraTime: It is being said that East Bengal coach does not know English. Do you believe that it is a serious issue to communicate with the players during the game?
Douglas: See, Indian football is different from other places. Communication is not the main thing, the communication must be good between him and his assistant who works with him. As a translator, it is important how he passes the information to the other players.
XtraTime: What should the East Bengal coach do from here on to win the title?
Douglas: He is new in Indian football and I’m sure, day by day he will understand more about the country and football culture and the way Indian football has been played. Only time can say that.
XtraTime: Do you believe the recent performances of East Bengal will help Mohun Bagan to start as favorites in the Kolkata derby on 16th December?
Douglas: Derby matches are always 50/50. No advantage for either teams. The commitment of the experienced players would be the key and as Acosta played one derby already, he will certainly tell the others, specially who are new about the atmosphere of the game and how’s the passion of the Calcutta people runs during the game.