Constantine wants to build team for future

India is scheduled to play Syria in is opening match of the AFC U-23 Championship Qualifiers.

“I’ve been a person who have always preferred to build a team for the future," said Indian coach Stephen Constantine.

Indian coach Stephen Constantine, presently in charge of the India U-23 side, prefers long-term goals rather than looking for quick results from the forthcoming AFC U-23 Championship Qualifiers, which begins in Doha on Wednesday.

India is scheduled to play Syria in is opening match of the tournament.

“I’ve been a person who have always preferred to build a team for the future. I’m working with this bunch of guys so that a few may come up the ranks and land up with the senior national team in the coming days,” Constantine said in the pre-tournament press conference.

India U-23 side is coming into tournament on the back of a two-week long camp in New Delhi followed by two back-to-back international friendlies against Singapore.

A year ago, Syria had made it to the finals of the last edition of the AFC U-23 AFC Championship, but its campaign didn’t go as planned.

“This tournament is of immense importance for us and I believe, as it is for every team here. We’ll give our best to qualify from this group,” Syrian coach Hussein Afash said.