Allow me to do my job, says Colaco

 It was just a matter of time before the official announcement was made.

On Thursday, East Bengal named Armando Colaco as their coach, as the Goan takes over from Marcos Falopa for the remainder of the season.

Trevor James Morgan, too, was in the fray, but club officials preferred to go with Colaco since they had already had advanced talks with the former Dempo coach. Colaco is scheduled to arrive on Monday before taking charge from November 20. For someone who used to enjoy a free hand during his long stint with Dempo, Colaco faces an intriguing test thanks to the contrasting footballing cultures in Goa and this part of the country.

From his very first day, he will be on the hot seat, more so, as his first match as East Bengal coach is the I-League Derby, against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan, on November 24. Colaco, however, insisted that he wouldn’t put himself or the team under unnecessary pressure. Also, he wants club officials to let him do his job without interference.

“I would request club officials to allow me do my job and not put the team under too much of pressure. And talking of the Derby, I would just ask the guys to go out there and enjoy. The result of that game is not the end of the world. There are still many more matches left,” Colaco told The Telegraph.

He said East Bengal are the best side in the country, as it’s just a matter of time before they regain their rhythm. “Judging on an individual basis, East Bengal are the best in India.

“Remember, they had to go through a hectic schedule because of the AFC Cup that involved a good amount of travelling. Just give the team a little more time and see how they bounce back,” he emphasised.

Edeh Chidi’s poor show over the last few weeks is not much of a concern for Colaco, who feels the Nigerian is only going through an off-form. “I don’t think we should be too worried about Chidi’s performance. He is just going through a rough patch. Even a legend like Sachin Tendulkar has gone through such phases. Form is temporary, but class is permanent. And Chidi, without doubt, is a class player,” Colaco said.

[GTI]