Gurugram: Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri Sunday stated that the country should play more international matches away from home and against much stronger opponents in the next six months if it is to do well in the AFC Asian Cup next year.
“What I’m looking forward is winning games outside the country which is very important. Our home record is fairly good but outside home we have really struggled. I just hope in the next six months we get more away games against much better opponents so that we can test ourselves. What we are facing (in Asian Cup) are the best in Asia,” Chhetri added.
India had lost to the likes of Iran, Oman, Turkmenistan and even to Guam in their away matches of the World Cup qualifiers and the prolific striker’s remarks makes total sense why they should play outside home.
Chhetri, who is also the country’s top scorer however does not agree with coach Stephen Constantine’s view that India has got an easier group this time as compared to the 2011 edition where the country was clubbed with Asian powerhouses Australia and South Korea as well as Bahrain. This time, India has been grouped with UAE, Thailand and Bahrain.
“If you say it can be easier because we are doing well that can be a valid point. Only because we are not facing Australia and South Korea people think it’s going to be easy. It is not,” Chhetri said on the sidelines of an initiative by KIA Motors India to select two school children as official match ball carriers for the upcoming World Cup in Russia.
Chhetri, no doubt will be the lynchpin of the team and also added that his team should not take any opponents lightly and must look for maximum points from the opening match if they want to proceed further into the tournament. India play Thailand in their opening match January 5 in Dubai. However, Chhetri who will turn 34 in August will be the first Indian player to have played in two editions of the continental tournament when he takes the field in January.
If you say it can be easier because we are doing well that can be a valid point. Only because we are not facing Australia and South Korea people think it’s going to be easy. It is not
Sunil Chhetri
Press trust of india
