Indian Football - Parth Jindal: 'Cannot imagine a Bengaluru FC season without AFC games in it'
Parth Jindal, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bengaluru FC, has made little attempts to veil the ambitions he expects his team to fulfil in this season as well as the future ones, as he makes it amply clear the ship to reclaim the I-League title has well and truly passed.
The businessman also urged his team not to let a sodden streak in the I-League rot their form and ability in the future games in the nation’s top tier.
"It’s been a strange season and not the easiest to deal with given the kind of success we have always been used to," expressed the Harvard Business School graduate, speaking exclusively to the Bengaluru FC media portal, when quizzed on his opinion of a somber domestic campaign so far.
He further continued, "Football, however, has taught us enough to realize that there will be phases where things get tough. What is encouraging and important though is the willingness of the team to put this run behind and get the season back on track," firing his troops up.
The Managing Director of Jindal Steel Works' (JSW) Cement division expected his team to elevate themselves on the I-League table, with a caveat.
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"While we are focused on developing players, we also want to win every competition we take part in. Our position in the League makes it almost impossible to retain the title but we want to finish as high as we can," he elucidated,
The two time I-League champions were confined to the runners-up position in their Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) Cup campaign last season, while being ousted out of the Federation Cup they were defending champions of, in 2015. Jindal, however, was firmly assured of his team's future goals in these two competitions.
"We’ve got our AFC Cup campaign off to the perfect start and the immediate goal is to get out of the group stages. Then there is the Federation Cup that we want to bring back to the Garden City. Importantly, we want to do everything to secure another season in AFC competition. I cannot imagine a Bengaluru FC season without AFC games in it!," exclaimed the chief.
"I’ve said this many times before but will say it again, the ultimate dream would be to win the League with 11 Indian players on the field," he concluded, raising the conch and signaling to his troops.