Interview: "There's no set target in finishing the league" - Bengaluru FC coach Ashley Westwood

You played for Manchester for 3 years and then you coached Blackburn for a couple of years, you could have had a lucrative career in Europe itself. What prompted you to come to India where the football scene is still developing and we’re ranked way below and the I-league is not a world class league?

Firstly, i’ve been assistant manager at 3 championship clubs in England. I’ve always really coached a team at a first class level. The reason i’ve come to India is to add a dimension to my coaching skills, have something that’s more of a different challenge to what i’ve faced earlier. As a coach, and my career, it can only improve me personally because i’d be doing something different than what i’d been doing in England. If i just continue to coach at one single leve, for the next 15 years, you’re fairly one-dimensional. So, to go seek new experiences can only broaden my horizon as a coach.

Every coach has a mantra. Some have attacking, some counter-attacking and some defensive. What’s going to be your mantra?

Basically, just a general mix of everything. We’ll play good football, won’t be long balls, we’ll play football in the right way. WE’ll be fit and organized and we’ll have a general attacking style as well as work very hard off the ball. Just a general bit of everything really.

Talking about strikers, JSW have signed India’s No.1 striker in Sunil Chetri, how has it been working with him? How would you rate him as compared to the strikers in England?

He’s a good player, he’s technically very good. Like i say, we haven’t seen lots of him in a football capacity at the minute. He brings a good professionalism to the game and the dressing room. Good on and off the field, seems to be a leader, seems to lead by example. So, as far as that’s concerned, he’s bang in line with the professional from an English club.

What’s the average age of your team?

I would say, about 24 or 25. WE’ve got a few young lads, we havent got anyone above 30 apart from Jonny Minambra. We’ve got a good balance at the minute and we’ve got players who we can develop and bring through the system. Also, obviously, we’ll be setting up the youth side making sure to get the best players we can and we can try and incorporate a few of them. We’ve got a good range of everything at the moment.

When you compare British football, with Indian football, the major difference is the speed of the game, other than that what do you think is the difference?

I think it’s a bit unfair to compare the two. Everybody has their own style and football from their own nation. Maybe that could have been a fitness issue with the speed or a time everything which we’ll try to improve and make sure that we play at a good tempo and the right way.