FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: India Will be Under-Prepared, Coach Stephen Constantine Warns National Federation
Stephen Constantine is upset that he is not getting enough time to prepare the national side for India's upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Turkmenistan and Oman.
Coach Stephen Constantine has on Monday expressed his unhappiness to the All India Football Federation executive committee that the national team will be inadequately prepared for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Turkmenistan and Oman next month. (Iran thrash India 3-0)
According to well-placed AIFF sources, Constantine is upset that his plans for a camp from September 29 had to be called off because Indian Super League teams were not willing to release their players earlier than the standard FIFA norm of "four days." (Guam shock India 2-1)
The second edition of the ISL starts in Chennai on October 3. Defending champions Atletico de Kolkata play Chennaiyin FC at the Nehru Stadium. It is learnt that Constantine wanted players from the other six teams who were not playing any ISL matches to attend the camp. His plans had the backing of several ISL managers, who understood the value of playing for the country in a World Cup game. (Oman defeat India 2-1)
Winless India face must-win situations on the road against Turkmenistan (October 8) and Oman (October 13) to nourish any hopes of qualification to the next round. With the AIFF now confirming that "ISL players (who comprise the bulk of the national squad) will join only on October 5 morning," the national team will get just about 48 hours to acclimatise and take on a quality opposition.
Sources told ndtv.com that Constantine, responsible for the performance of Team India, once again outlined his plans to the AIFF executive body. He wanted "at least 10 days" to prepare for a World Cup game and a "pool of 35 players for six months" to pick his final squad.
© AIFF
Standard FIFA norms do not always work for Indian players because of several footballing factors. Playing under multiple coaches in short spans is a massive deterrent, Constantine told the federation bosses. India's previous matches have shown the players in poor light. The defeat to Guam was a national disaster.
The tug-o-war between the national coach and the AIFF/ISL has left federation president Praful Patel a concerned man. In Monday's meeting, Patel told the federation officials and the representative of Football Sports Development Limited, the body that controls ISL and promoted by IMG-Reliance, to keep the interest of the national team uppermost in mind.
Constantine explained that what works for European teams do not apply to Indian players. Understanding the game was paramount. FIFA guidelines on releasing players are not cast in stone. All stake holders needed better understanding of the game for Indian football to prosper. Under the circumstances, that looks a distant dream.