Kolkata, September 18: Former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and co-owner of Indian Super League side ATK hopes the team will rise afresh after a forgettable last season.
The two-time champions looked completely out of sorts in the last season finishing a dismal ninth, its worst-ever performance since the inception of the league. This season ATK have made their intentions clear roping in Steve Coppell, who had guided Kerala Blasters to a runners-up finish in his first season, and took debutants Jamshedpur FC to a creditable fifth place in the previous edition.
"To all, this is the new film of the season, hopefully it will bring us luck and we will have a good year. Our record at Hero ISL is phenomenal, yes it wasn't a great last year but we will surely turn it around this time," Ganguly said on the sidelines of a promotional shoot.
Season five of ISL will kick off with ATK taking on Kerala Blasters FC on September 29 at the Salt Lake Stadium.
FT: ATK 0-1 FUL
— ATK (@WorldATK) September 8, 2018
We go down fighting at the Pinatar Arena against Premier League club Fulham FC.
A solid defensive performance by us was undone in the 71st minute by 2014 World Cup winner Andre Schurrle. #AamarBukeyATK #BanglaBrigade #ATKvFUL pic.twitter.com/um9oLxdkB5
The two-time champions had a preparatory camp in Spain and even played Premier League side Fulham in a friendly.
The friendly did not go as planned as they were defeated 1-0 by the Premier League club at the Pinatar Arena in Murcia, Spain on September 8.
German Andre Schurrle scored in the 72nd minute for Fulham after coming on as a substitute in the second.