India football captain Sunil Chhetri on Saturday urged the sport’s stakeholders to “quickly” clear the confusion around the upcoming season’s domestic calendar.
There is still no clarity on whether the Indian Super League would merge with the I-League, leaving the players and fans confused about the future of domestic football.
“I just want to get the answer quickly. It is always conducive when you know the whole calendar as to what team, which team, what league, which games and stuff like that,” Chhetri told reporters in New Delhi.
“I’ve heard that all the big think-tanks are working very hard, I know it’s not easy. I just hope that we get the answers soon. And if we don’t you guys, the media, please keep asking them.”
The Indian team is undergoing a camp in New Delhi to prepare for the upcoming Kings Cup in Thailand, which will be new coach Igor Stimac’s first assignment.
The 34-year-old is currently a match away from being the most-capped Indian footballer. He is tied on 107 matches with former captain Bhaichung Bhutia. “It may sound strange, but I am the fittest in my life at the moment. It’s a bit weird when I say this, but it’s true,” he said.
He added, “I think the knowledge and discipline is the highest in my life right now, in terms of taking risk, in terms of having the right food, and in terms of training – and that’s probably why I am this fit.”
Chhetri was speaking on the last day of the team’s preparatory camp for the forthcoming King’s Cup. “It’s been 7-8 days of training, and what the players have been really happy is about the coach’s tactical, and technical knowledge where we understand things, and improve ourselves.
“Stimac’s man management has been exceptional as he talks to everyone. He is open minded. Players can go and talk to him anytime. It also helps as he was a player. So, when he talks to you, you get to understand that he too understands what a player goes through and his needs. It’s all synchronised,” Chhetri said.
On the coach he added, “A lot of minute things like changing a timing here and there, or a little more time in the treatment room – he understands it perfectly. I think one of the major reasons apart from his knowledge is the fact that he was a player.”
With 67 goals, Chhetri is one of the leading scorers in international football has India’s highest-ever tally.
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