East Bengal’s Belgian coach Phillippe de Ridder (extreme right) interacts with the players during a practice session on Friday morning. Picture by Santosh Ghosh

Calcutta: East Bengal’s newly appointed Belgian coach Phillipe ‘Indi’ De Ridder, who took charge of the team on Friday, feels that the red-and-golds will return to winning ways very soon.

Ridder, whose first interaction with the players was on Friday at the club ground, preferred to watch the team play a practice match with Eastern Railway from the gallery, and was happy to see his assistant, Bikash Panji, handle the day’s proceedings.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Ridder said: “ The team looks pretty good but it is too early for me to judge its standard. I need two to three days to see closely, and only then I can judge where the team is and what are the lacunae that need to be filled.”

With not much time left for the National Football League (NFL), much depends on how Ridder handles the players who are down both on fitness and discipline.

When asked whether he was satisfied with the team’s fitness level, he said that while some are good, he would have to devise a different technique for others.

In fact from now on, the team will have two practice sessions ? in the morning and in the afternoon.

The Belgian also made it clear that he would not compromise on discipline. He added that besides different techniques, discipline and fitness will be the two areas he would like to work upon.

Ridder is hopeful of clinching the NFL.

“Last time we were third. But I will be looking to help the team lift the trophy this time,” he said.

Meanwhile on Friday afternoon, Ridder had a video session with his players.