After five years of playing the long- ball game under Bob Houghton, the Indian football team is now playing the possession game preached by coach Armando Colaco. That decision appeared justified after a look at the Vasant Valley school ground, where the team was training ahead of the second leg of their World Cup qualifier against the UAE on July 28.
A cricket pitch in the middle of the ground meant any long pass or any training exercise involving more than half the width of the ground was next to impossible. The players ultimately had to make use of a relatively lush patch in a corner of the ground. A member of the squad was overheard saying it was a disgrace that ahead of such a crucial World Cup qualifier, the national team had to train at such a facility.
It is the host federation that decides ahead of an international match where the teams will practice. While the Ambedkar stadium will be utilised for the match itself, the AIFF’s choice of a school ground beggars belief when better facilities like the Thyagaraj Stadium, where the DSA senior division league is scheduled to be held, exist.
That the senior team would need a place to practice should not have come as a surprise especially since World Cup qualification draws were released on March 31, almost four months ago. When asked, the AIFF chose not to comment.
Colaco remains upbeat
India will be playing its home leg against UAE after suffering a 3-0 defeat at Dubai. Armando Colaco though believes that his side is still in contention. “It’s a new game. If we can get an early goal, the result can be overturned,’’ said Colaco.
While the team will miss its first-choice goalkeeper Subrata Pal, who received a red card in the last match, Colaco backed Karanjit Singh, the reserve goalkeeper, who had a brilliant first leg. “Karanjit played exceptionally well in the last match. I know Subrata a is great goalkeeper but nothing can be taken away from Karanjit,” he said.
The coach said his team should be lauded for their performance despite the fact that India’s fate had been settled in the first 23 minutes when two players were handed red cards. “I think my boys played excellently against UAE. If we leave out the two penalties, it was like a goalless draw till the 81st minute. UAE never looked like a great team and had we played with 11 boys I think we could have even beaten them,” he said.
Colaco said that the team would have been in even better position if not for Qatari referee Banjar Al Dosari. “The referee is to be blamed for the loss. The two red cards were unfair. I had written to the AFC ( Asian Football Confederation) in the past that Gulf referees should be kept out of matches involving a Gulf team,” he said.
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