Jump in rankings no fluke: Paul

India goalkeeper Subrata Paul says the national team’s rise to 96 in the Fifa rankings isn’t a fluke.

India will face Macau in a crucial 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers on Tuesday, having won nine consecutive international matches, including an unofficial game against Bhutan, under coach Stephen Constantine.

“He (Constantine) has been in charge for almost 30 months now and if you look back at the journey, as far as the Fifa rankings are concerned he has delivered what no other coach in India has been able to achieve so far. No coach has been able to make us win nine on the trot; no coach has been able to take us from 173 to 96 in the FIFA rankings. And none happened by fluke,” Paul said.

Praising Constantine, who is in his second stint with the team, Paul said India is poised to improve further as a footballing nation.

“We have achieved a huge leap under Constantine. Even as I need to mention the efforts put in by all the support staff, the coach will always get the lion’s share of the credit, and rightly.

“Moreover, he has debuted 35 youngsters so far, many of whom will hold the fort for the national team for the next few years. In that sense, he has already created the supply line. He has brought in a total change in Indian football,” Paul said.

We have achieved a huge leap under Constantine SUBRATA PAUL INDIA GOALKEEPER

Subrata Paul