India Football: Coach Koevermans names final squad for Nehru Cup

India's national football coach Wim Koevermans has named a 20-member final list for the Nehru Cup which kicks off at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Aug 22.

The team is presently camping at Jaypee Greens, Greater Noida.

"I'm confident in the abilities of my boys," Koevermans said. "The practice sessions have been good. It's nice to see the boys pushing each other."

The list includes two India U-22 boys - Alwyn George and Manandeep Singh, who played in the AFC U-22 Championship in Muscat.

"It's a dream come true for me," said Alwyn. "The camp sessions have been an education for me and I'm maturing fast as a player."

Manandeep, who had made his India debut earlier this year, said: "This is a new challenge for me. As a player, one needs to be flexible to adjust yourself in different situations. I'm trying my best and learning at every step."

Defending champions India take on Syria in the opening match of the tournament Aug 22.

The 20-member list is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Subrata Pal, Subhasish Roychowdhury, Karanjeet Singh.

Defenders: Nirmal Chhetri, Denzil Franco, Gourmangi Singh, Gurwinder Singh, Raju Gaikwad, Syed Rahim Nabi.

Midfielders: Lenny Rodrigues, Mehtab Hossain, Jewel Raja, Francis Fernandes, Alwyn George, Anthony Pereira, Sanju Pradhan, Clifford Miranda.

Forwards: Robin Singh, Sunil Chhetri, Manandeep Singh.