By Goodness Ndukuba, Akwa on October 9, 2023

Rangers International FC of Enugu Technical Adviser, Fidelis Ilechukwu says the team is more determined to contest for the 2023/24 Nigeria Premier League shield despite 2-1 loss away to Remo Stars of Ikenne in the week 2 match on Sunday.

"It is too early to write us off" he said shortly after the encounter.

 The People's Elephant had defeated Doma United 2-1 in the league opener in the Awka Township Stadium, its home base.

"The lost to Remo Stars is a sad one, thus, both teams played good football. I am happy the boys will get better this season.

"We are positive before coming for the encounter but that is football, you win some, lost some and draw, today we have lost," Ilechukwu said.

On why Rangers lost the match to the home team, the coach said "our team lost the game to poor play in the mid field.

"I think in the mid field, when you have best players doing so many mistakes, all you do as a coach is to keep encouraging them, giving them that advantage that they will come back.

"There are so many errors in our mid field, where Remo Stars caught the game from our hands.

"You see after sub, there is a lot of advantage for us, but that time it is already 2-1 down. We are kind of playing under pressure, we want to level up, we want to go home with something, but that is football for you," the coach said.

He, however, assured the team will go back home to the drawing board in all the departments to change the narrative.

"We are taking all the departments, both in the central mid field, because the players reactions, communications are poor. If you don't organise, communicate or you don't react, you struggle to play.

"When you don't have leadership quality in the defense line, it is problem. We must work on that, also in the mid field on the strikers.

"I also want to remove that mentality of away games because we as far as I am concern, playing both away games. There is no away or home for us.

"The players must understand that, when you are playing away, you must come out and play; you must create chances, fight to win, minus that you are not going to win, so that is what we are going back home to correct.

"We must emphasis on that, bring our psychology to bear and keep talking to the players that they have 38 games in the league. You must not count only on 19 home games. 

"You must have the mentality that you can win anywhere, loss or draw anywhere," Ilechukwu affirmed.

Source Daily Sports Nigeria

Posted October 9, 2023

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