The Indian senior men’s football team is eagerly waiting to test its strength against the different playing styles of the opponents from West Asia in the SAFF Cup, feels the Indian captain Sunil Chhetri.
This makes India’s upcoming matches against the likes of Lebanon, Kuwait and later UAE a welcome addition to the national team’s preparation ahead of the challenging Asian Cup draw in January.
“The inclusion of Lebanon and Kuwait (in the SAFF Championship) is a welcome addition. I don’t know what the other teams of the SAFF region are feeling about this but we are really happy because we are getting a little bit more competition and different challenges,” Chhetri said ahead of SAFF Championship in Bengaluru, where India will be defending its regional supremacy.
“Lebanon and Kuwait are much similar to Syria, which we’ll be playing in the Asian Cup. So, that will give us a better understanding. We are likely to play UAE (in the King’s Cup in Thailand in September) next and their level will be like Uzbekistan (the other opponent in Asian Cup), while Australia is a different fish altogether. To play against teams that are a little bit different (I do not want to demean any SAFF region teams by calling these two invitees better) will surely be beneficial for us,” Chhetri said during an exclusive interaction with Sportstar.
India will complete its Intercontinental Cup schedule on Sunday following its title contest against Lebanon and then move to Bengaluru for SAFF Championship, which starts on June 21. The fixtures are challenging, but with a good medical team backing up, the players are geared up for the next assignment, Chhetri said.
“For me, it is easy, I am the fittest,” he said on a humorous note. “Everyone in the team is also going to like it as we don’t get to play for the national team very often. Considering the travel (from Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru) on the 19th, it seems a little bit tight for the first match on the 21st (against Pakistan). But trust me the boys are not complaining. Our medical team really works very hard, and I am pretty sure if you ask the coach (Igor Stimac), he will ask for at least one day more,” Chhetri said.
Indian team captain Sunil Chhetri (right) in a training session with head coach Igor Stimac. | Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT/THE HINDU
“If we would have played on the 22nd (June), then on the 26th and then the 30th, we would have been happier souls. As players, we are looking for more matches, and I am sure the medical team here will work really hard to keep us in shape. Our coach has been very smart. He has been managing the team very well and is making sure that he will have as many fresh legs as possible in a particular game,” Chhetri said about the challenging SAFF Championship fixtures.
The possibility of Pakistan bringing in a squad with players based abroad is also good news, felt Chhetri. “That is good. We definitely want to win SAFF, but the tougher opponents we get the better it is for us. We will grab this opportunity with both of our arms. The fact that the tournament is being played in India and more specifically in Bengaluru, it couldn’t have been better,” Chhetri said.
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