ISL 2022-23: We as players are not giving up: NorthEast United FC defender Aaron Evans

NorthEast United FC defender Aaron Evans stated that the players are not giving up despite their poor show in the ongoing Hero Indian Super League 2022-23. The Highlanders have managed a solitary win in the ongoing season in the 15 matches they have played.

They have suffered 13 losses in the tournament and have won only four points in the season. In fact, the Highlanders could not win a single match in their first eight matches. However, NorthEast United have come up with slightly better performances under Vincenzo Annese.

Meanwhile, Aaron Evans has scored two goals in the ongoing season for NorthEast United, which is joint-most for a defender along with Bengaluru FC’s Alan Costa.

Aaron Evans said while talking to the official website of the Hero ISL, “It’s definitely been a difficult season for NorthEast United FC. None of us expected this. We’re putting in the hours, putting in the work in the training ground, but it’s not clicking for us on matchdays. Whether that is all the changes that we have this season or something else, at the end of the day, that’s all excuses. When we are on the pitch, we’ve got to work hard and put in the effort to get the results. No matter what’s going on the field, the 11 players and the substitutes have to do something about it, and we’re not. So we have ourselves to blame.”

Evans showered praise on the new coach, Vincenzo Annese for shifting the things in a positive direction after taking the baton of the club.

He said, “All coaches have their own playing style, but Vincenzo has shifted things in a positive way. We have got the players to play an aggressive attacking and defensive game. Vincenzo has highlighted to us that it’s our quality and we got to use that and we have to continue to use that. We might not have the technical quality as other teams, but we do have that aggression and hunger. Like I said, we need to be disciplined for that whole game, and we can’t switch on and switch off because we get punished too easily.”

Speaking on the mindset of the players while playing with a poor record in the season, Evans said, “It’s very difficult, but we just take it game by game. We know that it seems unlikely (to make it to the playoffs), but that doesn’t mean we have to give up. And for what. We are professionals, and we’re all playing for a contract next season. Individually, we’ve got to play for pride, for ourselves, and also for the pride of the team. We’ve got to get some results, we’ve got to score goals. Internally, we’ve got to enjoy the rest of the season and make sure the fans enjoy it as well.”

NorthEast United FC will next take on Kerala Blasters FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi on Sunday.