Phillippe de Ridder at the East Bengal club on Monday. A Telegraph picture

Calcutta: East Bengal’s new coach Belgian Phillippe de Ridder on Monday was confident that his team would be able to bring themselves out of the rut they have found themselves in right now.

“The turnaround has already begun. They have won two matches on the trot. I won’t say they have hit top gear but they are doing better than what they were a month back,” the Belgian said in his first news conference on Monday.

De Ridder, under whom East Bengal finished runner-up in the 2005-06 National League, was in Mumbai (he watched the match from the stands) when the Syed Rahim Nabis logged full points against Air India.

“My first job will be to listen to each and every player, analyse what they say and then find out the solution. Today I’m not in a position to say anything about the team. And I shouldn’t because that can be 200 per cent wrong. But one thing for sure from Monday the team will strive to do better.”

De Ridder said that coaching a team from mid-season has its inherent problem. “I can’t sign new players and will have to do with whoever I have at my disposal. But that won’t be a problem for me.”

De Ridder agreed that unlike last time when there was hardly any expectation from him, this time it would be different. “Fans will be expecting something from me. And for that something to happen, the players will also have to respond. Reaction is very important.”

De Ridder’s shared a very good rapport with Bhaichung Bhutia during his last stint and the striker had gone on record saying if the Belgian repeated what he did in 2005-06, East Bengal would be different team altogether.

The Belgian admitted that he would have a problem when players were called for national duty. “The balance gets disturbed. I have to tackle that situation.”

De Ridder’s first match as East Bengal coach will be on Thursday when East Bengal play host to Lajong FC at the Barasat Stadium.