New Delhi: National football coach Stephen Constantine has called up 30 players for the team’s preparatory camp ahead of the Hero Intercontinental Cup football tournament which will start June 1 in Mumbai. Hosts India along with Kenya, New Zealand and Chinese Taipei will be participating in the meet.
The summoned players have been asked to report May 16 in Mumbai. However, the Bengaluru FC players will join May 18, due to their commitments in the AFC Cup.
Constantine has the event as ‘an opportunity to play against good opponents’. “We need to play more international games before the AFC Asian Cup and here we are getting some international games against good opponents. New Zealand are going to be a difficult team to deal with,” he pointed out.
“Chinese Taipei will give us different problems. They play the same kind of football akin to Thailand who are clubbed with us in the Asian Cup. Kenya are renowned for their physical prowess and strength. The tournament is going to be very crucial for us,” Constantine added.
The coach also stressed on the significance of the camp and asked the players to keep an open mind. “I always look for more options as the set of players who are with me now might not be available then. An injury or a bad patch might come in between. Players should come to the camp with an open mind and give their best. We might have some difficult decisions to make in future,” informed Constantine.
The squad: (Goalkeepers): Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Vishal Kaith, Amrinder Singh, Sanjiban Ghosh; (Defenders): Lalruatthara, Davinder Singh, Pritam Kotal, Anas Edathodika, Sandesh Jhingan, Salam Ranjan Singh, Jerry Lalrinzuala, Narayan Das, Subhasish Bose; (Midfielders): Udanta Singh, Laldanmawia Ralte, Seiminlen Doungel, Dhanapal Ganesh, Souvik Chakraborti, Md Rafique, Rowllin Borges, Pronay Halder, Anirudh Thapa, Bikash Jairu, Halicharan Narzary; (Forwards): Sunil Chhetri, Balwant Singh, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Manvir Singh, Alen Deory and Ashique Kuruniyan.
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