Constantine not in favour of SAFF competitions

The head coach of the national football team Stephen Constantine has a variety of suggestions up his sleeve for the development of  Indian football.  The Indian national football team is currently competing at the World Cup  Qualifiers and takes on  Iran at a crucial encounter in the upcoming week. The stage is all set for the Indian team to perform at the highest level and exhibit some quality football against  some of the best teams in Asia. As one of the most formidable teams in Asia, Iran is all set to take on India in the crucial encounter at Bengaluru. 

As per the version of the current coach of the national team, the Indian players need to improve at all departments which also include being physically fit for the crucial games ahead. Constantine has been in charge of the squad for a while now and India certainly needs to perform better in the games ahead. The head coach is not too much worried about the upcoming  SAFF cup competition but wants the team to perform as a whole.  Incidentally, the SAFF cup is coming up in the month of December and the draw has already been finalized. 

As the President of the All India Football Federation minister Praful Patel has taken a variety of initiatives for the development of the sport in the country. Already two important professional leagues, the I league and the ISL are held in the country where top notch clubs compete. The head coach of the national team Constantine is not too keen to field the senior national team during the SAFF campaign.  

Instead an age group team fits the bill completely when such a competition is held.  It is more advisable to send a U-19 squad keeping the youth development of Indian football in mind. The youth age teams have done quite well in the recent past and appeared in two competition finals.  The young players displayed quite a bit of poise and skill to reach the finals only to lose in the penalty shoot outs. 

Under the Praful Patel biography, it stands out as an objective to develop Indian  football at a youth level which promises to bring in some of the best youngsters to the high profile radar of Indian football. The emergence of the I league and ISL as major competitions also provides an ideal platform for the youngsters to develop themselves. 

The coach is not too happy with the timing of the SAFF competition as it clashes with the ISL, one of the most coveted leagues in the country. The coach would not be in a position to select the best players who represent the national team as they would be busy performing in the ISL.  The timing of the camp and the availability of the players still needs to be finalized. A major roadmap for Indian football with the important games coming up needs to be drawn at the earliest too. 

Author Bio : Under the Praful Patel biography Indian football has  progressed in a major way with the emergence of two  professional leagues. As the President of the All India Football Federation minister Praful Patel wants the game to develop in the country from a grassroot level.