"The fans are not coming to the stadium for other reasons. Not because of the team's performance" - East Bengal FC head coach Stephen Constantine

Like every other season, East Bengal FC started 2022-23 with a bagful of renewed hopes and ambition. However, as the matches rolled on, gaping holes started to appear not just in their on-field performances but even in their off-field machinery.

The Red and Gold Brigade were forced to play amidst the harrowing silence of an empty Salt Lake Stadium as fans turned up in paltry numbers. But during the pre-match press conference, head coach Stephen Constantine underlined that the supporters have stayed away from the stadium for "other reasons" and not their performance.

The English tactician stressed that he was still disappointed with their absence and asked them to turn up in numbers.

"The fans are not coming to the stadium for other reasons. Not because of the team's performance. We all know that. Am I disappointed? Of course, I am disappointed," Constantine stated.

Although the head coach didn't specify, East Bengal fans have been largely displeased by the approach of the club's administrators.

Meanwhile, the coach was also asked what the positives were from an otherwise underwhelming season. Constantine replied:

"If we look at the season from the beginning to the end, I think that we were not outplayed in any game except for the first time we played Mumbai City FC. They were the only team we struggled against for 90 minutes. In all the other games, we were very close to taking points or actually winning games. We can cry about what happened in the summer or January, but it's not going to help us.

"The positives for me were the one or two players who emerged from the reserves, Lalchungnunga, who we managed to sign for three seasons. The top scorer in the league [Cleiton Silva] is with us. To have a player like this, we might be doing something right," the former Indian national team head coach added.

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"Have everything to gain from the match" - East Bengal boss Stephen Constantine ahead of Mumbai City FC clash

East Bengal, who are languishing in the ninth spot, will next face Mumbai City FC, who have already secured the ISL 2022-23 League Shield. The Islanders have been immaculate this season, going unbeaten in 18 matches. But against Bengaluru FC, in their penultimate league stage match, Mumbai City ended up tasting their first defeat of the season.

Is complacency creeping in into the Mumbai City squad? Stephen Constantine opined otherwise. The East Bengal boss stressed that the Islanders will "come all out", saying:

"Look, they won the league two three weeks ago. I'm pretty sure they didn't want to lose against Bengaluru as they wanted the 'Invincible' tag. But I expect them to play hard and be professional, which is a trademark of the team and the coach. I expect them to come all out. I would! They need to stay sharp for the playoffs. So I expect a difficult game."

The Red and Gold Brigade are long out of contention to make it through to the playoffs. Asked if he would rather focus on the upcoming Kolkata derby than the game against Mumbai City, Constantine remarked:

"I have everything to gain from the Mumbai match. I have three points to gain. We will think about the Derby after the match."

The Torchbearers will face the league leaders on Sunday, February 19. The East Bengal boss also revealed during the press conference that Ivan Gonzalez has been ruled out of the fixture. Meanwhile, a few players are down with fever and the club is still waiting to confirm Alex Lima's availability.