Coach Dilmperis calls for passion, focus after Punjab FC's defeat to Jamshedpur FC

New Delhi [India], January 29 (ANI): Punjab FC head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis lamented his side's sluggish start as they succumbed to a 2-1 loss to Jamshedpur FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Tuesday. Addressing the media in the post-match press conference, Dilmperis highlighted the lack of energy, passion, and tempo as decisive factors that led to Punjab FC's seventh winless game of the season.
The match saw Jamshedpur FC take the lead in the 41st minute through Pratik Chaudhuri, who rose highest to nod home a perfectly placed corner from Rei Tachikawa. Early in the second half, an unfortunate defensive error by Punjab FC gifted Javi Hernandez a goal in the 48th minute, as his pressing forced a clearance to ricochet into the net.
Punjab FC managed to pull one back in the 58th minute when Ezequiel Vidal unleashed a stunning long-range effort, beating Albino Gomes in goal. Despite their late push for an equaliser, Punjab FC fell short against a well-organized Jamshedpur FC side.
"Basically, I think that we lost the game during the first half. When we don't have to say excuses, the truth is that we were flat--no aggressiveness, no passion, no tempo. Everything that we were doing was really slow," Dilmperis began at the post-match press conference as quoted by ISL's official website.
Despite managing 10 shots on goal and forcing some excellent saves from Jamshedpur FC's goalkeeper, the coach admitted his team fell short in terms of intensity.
"Even if we have 10 finishings to the goal and maybe the best player in the field is the opponent's keeper with the saves, I don't remember any opportunity of the opponent. These are, I think, cheap excuses for someone that doesn't want to develop," the coach said.
Dilmperis emphasized the importance of playing with greater passion, especially given the team's current struggles and maintaining the name of The Shers.
"There's a problem, there was a problem--huge--about the passion that we should have. When you're coming back after this long time and you said that you would try to do a restart, you should get in the field and play like a lion. Not only do we say that we are lions, but there are possibilities for all of us," the 50-year-old said.
The coach took responsibility for the team's struggles, admitting that the coaching staff may not have adequately instilled the right mindset in the players.
"I don't blame players only; maybe we didn't manage to transfer to them this mentality. Other than that, of course, for another time the mistakes are against us. Even if we managed to score, the opponents became so solid back there, but we didn't find any answers to this solid defence," he reflected.
When asked whether the team could recover from their current slump, Dilmperis expressed unwavering belief in his players.
"Of course. If I don't believe, I should go home. I believe. I believe in these players so much. I believe in the team so much," he declared.
Addressing the root causes of the defeat, Dilmperis acknowledged that the team faced challenges on multiple fronts.
"It's all of them [mental, tactical, and technical]...first of all, there are tactical issues--wrong positions, wrong choices about the tactical. It's technical as well, but at the same time, it's also concentration," he explained.
Punjab FC created several opportunities during the match, but their inability to convert them into goals was a recurring theme.
"Today, it was a different kind of lost chances. I mean, we have saves against Mumbai; most of them, they were out of the goal. But today, the ball went there. The first one that Lucas [Meetei], when he plays the ball, it's a great save. Ricky's [Shabong] shot is so hard that it bent his hands, and it could slide in, or even the others," Dilmperis said.
Jamshedpur FC capitalized on their physicality, especially in aerial duels and second balls, which posed significant challenges for Punjab FC. "The opponent was attacking with these long balls, and we have a huge problem at the rebounds...If we were more aggressive, then we would make them run more, stay away from our box, and maybe create more chances or even get--it's the balance of the game--get them tired so they will do the mistakes back there instead of us," Dilmperis remarked.
Punjab FC will look to bounce back when they face Bengaluru FC on February 1. (ANI)