East Bengal Women’s Team head coach Anthony Andrews has revealed that the disappointment of narrowly missing out on the AFC Women’s Champions League (AWCL) quarter-finals in the previous campaign haunted him for months, driving the team to achieve a historic top-eight finish in the continental competition.

East Bengal became the first Indian club to qualify for the knockout stages of the AFC Women’s Champions League, marking a significant milestone for Indian women’s football. However, according to Andrews, the achievement was the result of a long-standing ambition fuelled by the heartbreak of the previous season.

Speaking exclusively to MyKhel, Andrews opened up about the emotional journey behind the club’s continental breakthrough, insisting that personal recognition was never his motivation.

“I have never worked for my CV. If that were the case, I would never be in women’s football for so long. The dream was always to make it into the top eight. From last season, I was chasing this,” Andrews said.

The East Bengal coach admitted that narrowly missing out on qualification previously had a lasting impact on him and his players.

“Last season, we just missed narrowly. And that heartbreak was haunting me every single day. I couldn’t sleep. It was haunting me every single day. Not only me, but all the players as well,” he revealed.

Andrews credited the decision to retain the majority of the core squad for the continental campaign as one of the crucial factors behind their success. The experience of the previous edition helped East Bengal approach the challenge with greater preparation and understanding.

“And that’s why we retained the majority of the core players for the AWCL. And that’s what made the difference. The first game, winning, giving us the confidence,” he added.

Despite achieving their target of reaching the top eight, Andrews believes East Bengal’s journey in Asian football is far from over.

“We are happy that we are in top eight. But this is not the end of the journey. We need to perform better even in quarter-finals. To put Indian football at a different stage,” he concluded.

The coach also hopes the club’s continental performances can inspire younger girls to pursue football professionally rather than treating it merely as a passion.

“Where people look, where girls, younger girls take this not as passion, but as professions.”