Chennaiyin FC interim head coach Syed Sabir Pasha was pleased with his team performance as his boys showed character following a 1-0 defeat against the ATK Mohun Bagan in Match 103 of the Hero Indian Super League at the PJN Stadium in Margao, Goa on Thursday.

Roy Krishna found the only goal to help ATK Mohun Bagan edge out Chennaiyin FC by a solitary goal in its penultimate match of the tournament and ensured a playoff berth for the Mariners.

Match Report: ATK Mohun Bagan edge past Chennaiyin FC to qualify for the semi-finals

Now with 37 points from 19 games, the Mariners have moved level on points with league leaders Jamshedpur FC. While Chennaiyin FC finished their season with 20 points.

Pasha addressed the media after the game.

Here are some excerpts from his press conference:

Was this an unlucky game as Chennaiyin FC missed a few goals?

I think it was a draw match. The way we played and the boys showed the character.  Even in the last match, we don't have anything to do but they showed character. But it didn't happen like that, we fought and made them work hard to earn those points. I think that those are the positives which we can take back.

What’s next for the club? Where do you see the Chennaiyin FC heading now?

The club has a heritage, it has a big heritage. Unfortunately, we have not been clicking for years, or the players whom we have been selecting are not able to perform to that level. The squad needs some fresh induction of players in form of fresh talent coming in. The most important thing is that we lack speed even in today's game if you see that we could have had a little bit of speed in our game, I think especially in the midfield like we could have done damage to them. We could have gone past their defenders but unfortunately, we don't have that. if we have to go forward we have to bring speed into this team that pace which we needed. Once that is injected the team will again come back.

What about your role at Chennaiyin FC now? Where do you see yourself? 

Whatever could be done with this team at these four matches, which I had, it was a difficult time for me to keep them together. Because it was mostly selected by Bandovic, he brought those boys. But naturally, when he left there, the model was not there. And so to bring them together, to keep them happy and motivated was a big task for me. For me, the results were next. So I think in that way like keeping them motivating them making those matches competitive, I think I've done the job. But I have to step forward from that is getting results. I have to keep doing this and naturally, we will start getting results in my way. 

Any message for the Chennaiyin FC fans?

We have disappointed them this season and we are very sorry for them. They have been very patient but if you see Chennaiyin FC fans, they are like something apart. Even not like the other ones. Even when we don't do well or when we go down. I think we missed them. They are the one who lifts us up. But this year and last year also, like we were not able to come up but in those matches where we play in Chennai these fans lift us up even when the morale is down. We really missed them and we say very sorry to them. We promised them that next year we will come back very strongly.