In those games, more than the results salvaged, trophies won and goals scored, it’s the miles that were run that signal an obvious metric of improvement. No coach can carry out a plan if a team cannot operate at peak match fitness when required.
After conceding early in the #SAFFChampionship2023 Final 🏆, the #BlueTigers 🐯 fought back and equalised late in the first half through AIFF PLAYER OF THE YEAR, @lzchhangte7 🤩🔥#KUWIND ⚔️ #IndianFootball ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/7txOWdw6Qv
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) July 5, 2023
The uptick in fitness led to the efficient pressing that the Indian midfield displayed through the SAFF Championship – which in turn allowed them to play a brand of football they’re not associated with. Through these Championships, the Indian team played a style of attacking football that saw them utilise the strengths of a player like Lallianzuala Chhangte, who in the final third of the pitch can play both as the key of the attack, as well as its facilitator. But to get the ball to that stage has been the issue with India – one which they seemed to have finally started to get the hang off.
India will next be a part of the King’s Cup in Thailand (7-10 September) and the Merdeka Cup in Malaysia (14-17 October). Both these tournaments will give Stimac’s squad at least two games each outside the country in different conditions to the ones they’ve had to face over the past couple of months. In India, they’ve faced opposition teams that have had to combat the humidity of Odisha in the Intercontinental Cup and then a raucous Bengaluru crowd that filled out the Sree Kanteerava stadium for most of their matches.
Form outside India
In fact, since Stimac’s tenure has begun, India has played a total of 41 matches – with 22 of those matches being played outside the country. In those 22 matches, India’s record stands at six wins, seven losses and eight draws. In 2023, the national team played 11 matches at home and under Stimac, 19 in total. In those 19 games, their record stands at 10 wins, six draws (both SAFF Championship semi-final and final were considered as a draw since the game ended on level terms after 120 minutes of football) and three losses.
Clearly, the national team’s next stage of evolution is to start playing better outside India. While the King’s Cup and Merdeka Cup, along with two World Cup qualifier games that are set to be added later to the calendar, aid on that front, more preparation time is the need of the hour, according to the team and the players.
Bengaluru: Indian Football Captain Sunil Chhetri celebrates after they won in penalty shoot out during the 2nd semifinal of SAFF Championship 2023 between India vs Lebanon at Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, Saturday, July 1, 2023. (PTI)
Through the SAFF Championships, in multiple media interactions, Stimac and as well as the players have asked that a four-week camp be held before the AFC Asian Cup begins on January 12, 2024. Speaking to reporters after the final on Wednesday, Stimac said, “The most important time for the national team to prepare well for the Asian Cup is December. We are looking to get a minimum of four weeks of preparation. The rest doesn’t matter.”
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He also said that if four weeks weren’t provided to the team, then he and the players couldn’t take responsibility for the results at the Cup. India were drawn in Group B of the Asian Cup with Australia – perennial visitors to the FIFA World Cup, Uzbekistan – a rising force in Asian football at all age groups, and Syria, a team India last faced four years back in the Intercontinental Cup and drew 1-1.
The stance of the All India Football Federation earlier in the year was that the team would be sent to Doha after a two-week camp and that the Indian team was being provided more games in the run-up to the Asian Cup than any other campaign prior to the 2024 tournament.
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“After taking office on 2nd Sep 2022, our main focus was to increase the number of international matches for the national team and to utilise all the FIFA windows to ensure ranking improved,” AIFF president Kalyan Chuabey told The Indian Express. “Yes, we are in a tough group of AFC. Having said this, I think these international matches will give our boys a chance to prepare well.”
