‘Healthy competition key to upswing in form’
Former India internationals Mahesh Gawli and Deepak Mondal praised the national football team for the recent upsurge in performance, saying coach Stephen Constantine had brought in fighting spirit.
India have won nine international matches on the trot, and recently topped a tri-nation tournament also involving Mauritius and St Kitts and Nevis, which they hosted.
Gawli and Mondal were part of the team under Constantine’s first tenure as coach from 20022005.
“Constantine has brought in fighting spirit team and that provides our boys with a cutting edge over their opponents,” Mondal said.
The veteran defender credited “team effort” for achieving the nine-match winning run, which ended when they drew 1-1 with St Kitts and Nevis.
“It rightly reflects how welltuned they are at the moment. Right from the coach to the players, everyone is operating together as a team.”
Mondal’s long-time central defensive partner Gawli also sounded exuberant.
“As former footballers, we look for an upward graph of our national team. I’m really happy that they are doing well. I wish all the best for their forthcoming match against Macau,” he said.
Abhishek Yadav, an All India Football Federation executive committee member, who started his international career under Constantine in 2002, felt qualification for the 2019 Asian Cup would be the best thing for Indian football.
“In 2011, we qualified for the AFC Asian Cup after 27 years and these boys are on the verge of making it again within eight years. It shows we have made significant progress recently and we’re in the right direction to reach the next level,” Yadav said.
Mondal and Gawli were all praise for the current defensive unit.
“I heard they didn’t concede a goal for 300-odd minutes. That’s really stupendous in international football at any point of time. It shows that the defenders, the goalkeeper and others are perfectly synchronised,” Mondal said.
There’s a healthy competition among defenders and this is a good headache for the coach MAHESH GAWLIA EX-INTERNATIONAL