Chennaiyin FC enter their 2017-18 Indian Super League (ISL) third-round contest with FC Pune City on the back of a 3-0 win over NorthEast United but head coach John Gregory revealed that the Orange Army will be no pushovers.
"They are on a very good run at the moment and when you are winning and scoring, players are always ready to play. It (intensity) does not bother you at all. When things don’t go well, it is a ready-made excuse."
He added, "We need to be at our best against Pune. (Emiliano) Alfaro and Marcelinho are grabbing headlines, they played outstandingly well and scored goals between them."
Gregory spoke on the talismanic Raphael Augusto and his importance to the 2015 champions. "Sometimes, when you have an outstanding player who is very creative, he is wasted in your own half. Looking at last season's videos, he was doing great work in his half. We just tried to move him up the pitch a bit more (against NorthEast United)."
Asked about his domestic contingent, the former Aston Villa manager did concede that some of them are not ready for the big stage but there is potential in a few to make it big in the league.
"You have to focus on domestic players, make them better because you need them. I inherited some talented Indians like (Anirudh) Thapa, (Baoringdao) Bodo who are raw for the ISL level. Germanpreeet (Singh) made his debut last week, they have got a good future if they grow up very quickly.
"If I use them (young Indians) properly, they will benefit from it. We have got others at grassroots level coming through. Who knows, one day the ISL might see a whole team full of Indian players. The ones who have come through with us are doing well," he concluded.
"They are on a very good run at the moment and when you are winning and scoring, players are always ready to play. It (intensity) does not bother you at all. When things don’t go well, it is a ready-made excuse."
He added, "We need to be at our best against Pune. (Emiliano) Alfaro and Marcelinho are grabbing headlines, they played outstandingly well and scored goals between them."
Gregory spoke on the talismanic Raphael Augusto and his importance to the 2015 champions. "Sometimes, when you have an outstanding player who is very creative, he is wasted in your own half. Looking at last season's videos, he was doing great work in his half. We just tried to move him up the pitch a bit more (against NorthEast United)."
Asked about his domestic contingent, the former Aston Villa manager did concede that some of them are not ready for the big stage but there is potential in a few to make it big in the league.
"You have to focus on domestic players, make them better because you need them. I inherited some talented Indians like (Anirudh) Thapa, (Baoringdao) Bodo who are raw for the ISL level. Germanpreeet (Singh) made his debut last week, they have got a good future if they grow up very quickly.
"If I use them (young Indians) properly, they will benefit from it. We have got others at grassroots level coming through. Who knows, one day the ISL might see a whole team full of Indian players. The ones who have come through with us are doing well," he concluded.