ISL: Chennaiyin FC says time to 'put everything together'

Chennaiyin FC will open their Indian Super League campaign against FC Goa at Fatorda on Saturday after nearly two months of preparation, head coach Clifford Miranda said on Thursday. Miranda added that the club provided the pre-season he had requested and the team is now entering the competition period.

Chennaiyin arrive with renewed optimism following a penultimate-place finish in the previous ISL season, a campaign during which the squad had been assembled hastily. The club and coaching staff have placed emphasis on preparing the team from the start, with Miranda saying that the first part of the season is as important as the last. Published - October 08, 2026 11:56 pm IST

“When the club was in talks with me to continue, the first thing I asked was a proper pre-season,” head coach Clifford Miranda said here on Thursday. “We have had a seven-week pre-season and we are now in the competition period, so it is eight weeks. The club has provided me with what I wanted — timeframe, resources, facilities, friendlies etc. I am pleased with the signings we made... I am even more pleased with how the players have trained and the attitude they have shown. Now it is time for us to put everything together in the games,” Miranda added.

The club has addressed attacking concerns in part by signing Brazilian forward Ramon Tanque, who is expected to lead the forward line. The squad remains light in numbers in the striking department, a matter the club has identified as needing attention.

Miranda commented specifically on the forward situation: “We have a top striker. If he stays fit, he is going to trouble a lot of defences: he is very explosive. The way we have organised our attacking structure, it is not just about Ramon. There are players around him who can arrive in good moments and score.”

CFC will hope it has plenty left in the ‘Tanque’ as they begin the ISL season against FC Goa at Fatorda on Saturday.