The Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2018-19 campaign has not been the happiest of hunting grounds for defending champions, Chennaiyin FC, who travel to Mumbai with their playoff hopes hanging by a thread courtesy of just a single win all season.

Ahead of facing a rampant Mumbai City FC unit, indiansuperleague.com caught up with defender Inigo Calderon. Here are a few excerpts from the same. 

What has the atmosphere been like in the dressing room?

I think it’s been a really bad season for us at the moment, no one expected to be with just five points and that’s really bad. We know that, we accept that, we learn from that but I’m going to say like I said, I think the atmosphere is really good. I was a bit surprised with that. I was a bit afraid of that because when we are here all the time and as I say, like a big brother and all the time together and we are not getting the results it can be a really bad season because you’re living 24 hours together but it’s not like that as I say we know that we are not doing good. When we have to train, when we have to play everybody is trying to do their best and afterwards, we are together it’s no bad phases and I think it’s really important because I guess at the end, we are doing everything we can, and you cannot ask for more.

Which of the youngsters has impressed you the most so far?

I don’t check too many times the age of the players because when you are 36 that’s the last thing you want to know. They can be your son playing against you. So, I don’t know there are a few ones that maybe I know from last season and I can play against them especially the left wingers. I think the level of Indian players is going up and I think it’s really good and really important for Indian Football.

Thoughts on head coach John Gregory’s philosophy.

Like I said before, the atmosphere has been maybe a surprise for me and for a coach it’s really frustrating when you see that your team are not getting the points, especially when you think you are doing good things. I think the players we play, we are always creating chances to win the match and we are not winning so I don’t think there are too many things that they beat us really clear so being a coach has to be really difficult. The good thing is that he doesn’t change too much, his mentality or how he approaches the matches, the philosophy he has with the players and that’s really important I can say if he’s going to shouting at us and putting on bad faces then it’s going to be a nightmare to be here with everyone 24 hours together. So, I think it’s really good, he’s trying to cope with the situation the best he can. I can say, it’s not easy and I hope we can turn all these things around and it can better for everyone.

A message for the fans.

Nothing I can say, I don’t want to say sorry because I never say sorry when I try my best and I think all the team is doing their best they can do. So, just thank you more than sorry I want to say thank you because they are all the time behind us and it’s not easy as well for them. When the results are not coming with you, but they are still there when we play at home and even when sometimes we play away, and they can come so just a big thank you to them and we just want to give them something back because I think they deserve more.