The last time Chennaiyin FC reached the Indian Super League (ISL) football playoffs was in 2019-20, three seasons ago, when they lost in the final to Atlético de Kolkata (ATK) FC. That final appearance came one season after the team had finished last on the points table, pointing to an underwhelming record over the last five seasons.
The only team to have won two titles in the ISL — ATK has three — Chennaiyin FC has much work to do to come out of the slump, which coach Owen Coyle is deeply aware of. Coyle was Chennaiyin’s coach when they last made it to the ISL final, before he signed up with Jamshedpur FC, a team that he led to the ISL League Winners Shield. He has now returned to Chennaiyin this season on a multi-year deal.
“It’s a huge challenge because the club has not been even close to the playoffs, where they should be,” Owen said before the start of the ISL. “We have to work to make sure that we’re challenging to be in those spots. So coming into the season, everybody wants to fight out for the prizes and we are no different to anybody else.”
The 2023-24 season of the ISL started on Thursday, while Chennaiyin played their first match of the season on Saturday against Odisha FC.
“What I do know about Chennaiyin is that the longer the season goes, the better we will become because of all our work together,” the 57-year-old Scotsman said.
In a storied career, Coyle has coached English Premier League teams Burnley, Bolton and Major League Soccer (MLS) side Houston Dynamos in the US. After two seasons with Jamshedpur FC, he spent a couple of seasons with Scottish second division side Queen’s Park before Chennaiyin summoned him back to India.
“When I got approached from Chennai — the owners (Vita Dani, Abhishek Bachchan) are honourable people and knowing the club and obviously the soft spot that I had from my time — that’s kind of when the dialogue started. That’s why I find myself back here because I’ve always felt that when you work with good people, you’ll always have a chance of achieving success,” Coyle said in Bengaluru recently.
He is clear that Chennaiyin FC has to improve considerably for it to have a shot at the ISL title — for the first time, 12 teams are competing the title this year. Chennaiyin have lost some of their key players this season — Anirudh Thapa who played 125 matches over six seasons, has gone to Mohun Bagan Super Giants; Edwin Vanspaul has shifted to East Bengal after four years at Chennaiyin FC and six foreign players have moved out.
“Some of their (Chennaiyin) best players never made it to the playoffs,” Coyle added. “So we have to try and get ourselves back in and find those playoff places. Will it be difficult? Of course, it will be. They’ve not been (in the playoffs) in a number of years, which tells you that the team has not been good enough. It’s simple.
“So we have to improve that. I know you don’t come in with a magic wand or sprinkle fairy dust, everything falls into place. It’s going to take hard work, it’s going to take bringing good players together and getting that balance.”
Chennaiyin’s Rahim Ali and Vincy Barretto are playing for the Indian team in the ongoing Asian Games when Chennaiyin’s opening matches, against Odisha FC and NorthEast United (on Friday), take place. Coyle respects that he has inherited a steady core, a majority of players who will fit into his game plan. But there are always openings for change. “As coaches, there will be changes. But I think, like most things, when you have continuity, when you have consistency of selection, you have a rhythm that I think always leads to success.”
“Within those transfer windows, we have to make sure that we’re competitive with the best teams. Every (ISL) head coach will speak about the same aims, that they want to be at the top end of the league. We’ve shown before that we’re capable of winning,” Coyle added.
Given their recent track record, Chennaiyin FC does not face huge expectations going into this season, but Coyle believes that pressure is just the nature of the professional game. “Everybody has an opinion,” he said with a smile. “But as I say, we’re used to that. I’ve worked at the highest level all over the world. Ultimately, from a coach’s point of view, you have to get the best out of a group of players.”
“What we have to do is make sure we have the best version of ourselves on the field.”
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