By Our Reporter
SHILLLONG: Following the team’s dismal show against Pune FC here on Saturday, Shillong Lajong coach Pradhyum Reddy warned the underperforming players of the team to ‘perform or perish’.
“There are some players in the team who do not possess the required quality to play in the big stage like the I-League. If they continue to perform this way, we would have to bring in better players for the next season,” Reddy said while speaking to reporters after the match.
When specifically asked about the poor form of players like Seikhohau Tuboi and Boithang Hoakip, Reddy minced no words when he said, “The way they are playing at present, both (Tuboi and Hoakip) do not have the talent to play in the I-League.”
“They have won many fans when they helped the team qualify for the I-League. But playing at the Second-Division level and I-League is totally different,” Reddy said.
The Lajong coach also did not sound very happy with his top central defender Aibor Khongjee who has been missing from the home matches due to hamstring injury.
In a strong statement Reddy said, “I do not think that he is suffering from any injury. But it was due to the pressure of playing before the home fans which has kept him away from the playing arena.”
Reddy argued that if Khongjee is really having an injury then he would not have declared himself available for the match against HAL in Bangalore on February 1.
Commenting on the team’s performance Reddy said, “I am not really happy….”
The Lajong coach lamented that his side tends to be complacent when they play against weaker opponents.
Reddy added that conceding penalties in 3 consecutive games is not acceptable while pointing out that the team defence yet again stood exposed in the match.
Meanwhile, Pune FC coach Derrick Pereira said that he was disappointed that his team could get only one point from the match.”We deserved to get all three points considering the way we played ,” Pereira said.