Football: Fail to understand the hype around the Indian under-17 World Cup team, says Constantine

New Delhi: National football coach Stephen Constantine stated that players from the Indian team who played the U-17 World Cup at home will not be given any preference in the camp for the SAFF Championships.

The Englishman selected Prabsukhan Gill, Suresh Wangjam, Rahim Ali and Rahul KP for the SAFF camp. The four are currently part of the Indian Arrows side involved in a five-team tournament in Spain.

Constantine refused to comment about Dheeraj Singh’s failed move to Motherwell, but stated that he failed to understand the ‘hype’ around the team.

“We give U17 players no priority. There was a lot of hype on the under-17 team. They didn’t win any games in the World Cup. I’m not sure what the hype was about. We did okay. I never understood why we were making such a big deal out of the under-17 team.

“They didn’t qualify for the World Cup, we hosted it. I think too much was made of it. They went to a World Cup that was hosted by us. Did they pull any trees up? They lost three games. Then they played in the I-League and come last. So you tell me,” he said.

Bengaluru FC pulled out Udanta Singh and Nishu Kumar from the camp but the Englishman stated his support for the fact that they were playing the AFC Cup. “We omitted two boys from Bengaluru. The way I see it, they’re representing India in the AFC Cup. They need those games. They’re representing India and I’m 100% behind that.”

The 55-year-old expressed gratitude for the fact that the clubs released the players on time. Constantine tried to explain the long camp prior to the tournament in Bangladesh stating that international football was very different to club football.

Prior to the 2019 Asian Cup, India are scheduled to play Oman in Abu Dhabi and another team in the camp prior to the tournament in UAE. The Englishman also confirmed that another friendly would be played in November, although the opponents were yet to be confirmed.

‘Appalling decision’

The Indian head coach was not happy with the IOA’s call to not send the football teams to the Asian Games. “I think it’s an appalling decision. I am told by the AIFF we haven’t received an official letter that we’re not going. Based on results, previous Asian Games, it’s not the same four years, we’re not the same team four or eight years ago. It does us harm, because we had a great opportunity to qualify from the group. We need bigger games.”

When asked about the majority of the under-23 players not receiving enough game time in the Indian Super League, Constantine re-iterated that he wanted to see more Indians in the league. “I want 11 Indian players. I don’t want to see foreign players. I don’t want to go to an ISL game and watch seven foreigners. I am the Indian national coach. I am only interested in the Indian players.

“This year, there will be four foreigners as per the AFC rule. This means there’ll be 70 Indians playing every week. Let’s hope they take the opportunity. I tell these boys, you are not in the team to make up the numbers. You are there to make the difference.”

Constantine’s selection has received brickbats online but the Englishman refused to entertain any questions about the likes of Micheal Soosairaj not picked for the team. “I don’t think he’s a big name, he’s just another player. Soosairaj had an okay season with the I-League, he’s going to the ISL. We’ll have to see what he does there. We need a certain type of player, who can run, who can fight.

“Who can play along with Sunil, in front of Anirudh Thapa, would you play him before those two? At the end of the day, the player has to fit in with the system. There are others who were given a chance, came in and didn’t do particularly well. I can’t pick every player who everybody thinks is a good player.”

Reacting to suggestions that he did not watch enough games, he said “There are three to four scouts that watch. Between us, we watch the league, I attend as many as I can in the country, I’m not always in the country.”