Underdog USFC will prove its mettle, assures coach Phillipe D Rider

ANAND OBEROI
GANGTOK, 04 Oct: “USFC has strong team spirit so please support the team irrespective of their performance because winning and losing is part of the game. It is not whether you won or lost but the how you played the game that counts,” shared the United Sikkim Football Club (USFC) coach, Phillipe D Rider while speaking to media-persons today.
He was commenting on where his club stood against the three best teams in India - East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Salgaocar SC - they are to play during the league matches slated to begin this Saturday here at Paljor Stadium.
USFC, whom the coach describes as the “underdogs” of the tournament given that the Sikkim club broke into the senior division I-League only this season, will play its first match on 06 October at Paljor Stadium against Salgaocar SC. The opponents, Mr. Rider said, is a compact team with some players being in the team for almost five years now.
“We will play our first match and every match from thereon for 3 points [which a victory accrues]. We want to win and prove that we are a club that needs to be respected. We know we have a home advantage here but I feel that all matches are difficult and it takes just one mistake to change the fate of any game, thus we are keeping our fingers crossed,” he told reporters today.
While informing that USFC had 3-4 of its players either coming back from injury or other personal engagements, the coach said that it would take these players at least a few matches to reach peak match preparedness. Mentioning that the slight advantage that these players had was that they knew the pitch well, he added that this new team would make progress match after match.
“We cannot say anything as of now and hope that we rise to the occasion. I as a coach feel that we still require at least three more players, a good striker and two more options in the defense line. I will admit that we are not on the top of our game at the moment, but only time will tell where we stand.
We are looking at prospects to get new players for USFC and we are working out the same. I want to add that despite our not so good a performance in the Federation Cup, we have a really good side and we have shown the other clubs that we are a club to be respected,” he stated.  
He also mentioned that the players in his team were in good mental state and were ready to face any opponent further adding, “We are ready to give a good fight even to the Federation Cup winners”.
Speaking on the inclusion of a number of new players in the club, Mr. Rider stated, “I have always believed in the philosophy that the best players should be given a chance in the field. That is why USFC has given so many budding talents a chance to showcase their skills. Even Salgaocar has one of our players now, this shows that we have good players waiting for the right time and we at USFC give these guys the chance at the right time.”