New Delhi, India – In a virtual conversation with the media, Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri expressed his strong support for head coach Igor Stimac’s call for a comprehensive four-week training camp leading up to the upcoming Asian Cup. Chhetri, who will be participating in his final Asian Cup held in Doha from January 12 to February 10, emphasized the significance of preparing the team to face the strongest competitors in the continent, reports Business Standard. Recognizing the time and effort required for adequate preparation, Chhetri also advocated for the organization of international friendly matches.
Highlighting the challenging group stage fixtures against Australia, Uzbekistan, and Syria, Chhetri stressed the necessity of a prolonged training camp, echoing Stimac and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s sentiments. He affirmed, “A prolonged camp is imperative, and I sincerely hope that our request is fulfilled.” Chhetri attributed the team’s success in recent tournaments to the extended camp of over 50 days, noting the importance of addressing player injuries and the mental adjustment required after representing their respective clubs.
India’s recent triumphs in the tri-nation tournament in Manipur, the Intercontinental Cup in Bhubaneswar, and the SAFF Championship in Bengaluru have showcased the team’s potential. However, the national camp for these tournaments commenced only in mid-May, leading to a limited timeframe for preparation. Stimac had earlier emphasized the need for at least a four-week camp to ensure a strong performance in the Asian Cup. However, officials from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) have expressed concerns about releasing players for such an extended period due to club commitments during the domestic season.
Chhetri acknowledged the final decision on the duration of the national camp would depend on discussions among stakeholders. Nevertheless, he expressed optimism, stating, “I remain hopeful that we will be granted as many days as possible for the national camp.” Furthermore, Chhetri advocated for engaging in friendly matches against higher-ranked Asian teams to gauge India’s preparedness. He emphasized the necessity of playing at least two or three international matches against top six or seven ranked countries in Asia, such as Iran, Japan, or Saudi Arabia, to better evaluate India’s readiness for the Asian Cup.
The iconic striker believes that facing formidable opponents like Japan, Iran, or South Korea is crucial to understanding the level of competition India will encounter, particularly against strong rivals like Australia. Chhetri insisted that a mere five-day national camp would not suffice to prepare for such high-stakes matches. To compete against Australia in the Asian Cup, Chhetri emphasized the need to elevate India’s performance to a level beyond that of the Indian Super League (ISL), necessitating a substantial amount of time for thorough preparation.
Looking ahead, India’s next challenge will be the King’s Cup in Thailand, where they are set to face Iraq, Lebanon, and the host nation. Chhetri believes that the match against Iraq will provide valuable insights into the playing style and quality of Uzbekistan, a team similar to Iraq. Additionally, the recent encounters against Lebanon and Kuwait during the SAFF Championship offered valuable knowledge about the potential strengths of Syria, although Chhetri acknowledged that Syria possesses a slight edge over the aforementioned opponents.
Chhetri also expressed his support for AIFF President Kalyan Choubey’s proposal to engage Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) teams in order to participate in more prestigious tournaments and compete against stronger opponents. He welcomed the opportunity to face more challenging teams, as he firmly believes that the greater the difficulty, the better it is for India’s growth. However, Chhetri stressed the importance of maintaining a balanced number of international matches throughout the year to ensure optimal player development and team progression.
