I haven’t decided on the captaincy: Constantine

February 25, 2015 02:20 am | Updated 02:20 am IST - NEW DELHI:

Indian men’s football team’s new manager Stephen Constantine raised few eyebrows when he — leaving skipper Sunil Chhetri’s position uncertain within the team — said he hasn’t decided on the captaincy at a press gathering on Tuesday.

“I don’t have a captain. When everybody comes to the camp, I’ll decide who will be the captain,” said Constantine, leaving nobody in any doubt that the issue will dominate discussions in the coming days. It could turn out to be nothing.

Obviously, Constantine’s second stint with the national side will be judged on far more than who takes the captaincy. India faces Nepal in the opening round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification process next month. Constantine had also managed the latter and expects it to be a tough and feisty opponent. The plan will be simple.

“The short term plan is to win the next game and the long term plan is to win the game after,” Constantine put it pithily. It could be argued that the 52-year-old finds the Indian team in a worse shape than when he left. So, why did he return? “Purely financial considerations (laughs).

The publicity surrounding the Indian football has never been like it is now. If we don’t take this opportunity, we are finished as a football nation. I said it 12-13 years ago that football is loved as much as cricket in India. But we need to work on our age-group teams; I’m still saying the things I said 12-13 years ago. We’re not in a better position, in that regard.”

To assist Constantine, a new support staff will also be in place. Shanmugam Venkatesh will be the Englishman’s assistant while there will be a new goalkeeping coach (Rogerio Ramos), in addition to other changes.

Constantine, though, acknowledges that help will be required from those who lie outside the framework of the national side. He has particularly identified scouting as a problem; an English instructor is expected to hold a seminar for Indian scouts in the coming months.

To aid youth development, Constantine would seek the establishment of a fixed calendar that would allow Indian players a six to eight week long off-season.

Physiological development is a core area of concern as well. “We don't have too many players who are taller than 184 centimetres in our under-23 side. You need at least three-four such players, otherwise what happens when you defend corners and freekicks?”

Taking cue from other national teams, Constantine also sought a way to include non-resident players of Indian origin. He suggested a temporary method which could allow players to hold dual passports till they represent India.

“There are many players abroad who could walk into the national side,” reckoned Constantine.

MoU signed

Earlier in the day, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Japan Football Association (JFA). The agreement will help India in its aim to develop a competitive side for the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup that will be hosted by the country. As part of the agreement, India’s under-17 side will visit Japan a number of times.

Speaking at the occasion, AIFF President Praful Patel revealed that the body will also seek to host the Asian Football Confederation Awards in November this year. Patel hopes that the event will coincide with the end of the Indian Super League's second season, aiming to showcase the strides taken by Indian football recently.

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