We should have reached the next round in the Asian Cup, says Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

The Indian football team and its fans were left heartbroken at the end of their 2019 AFC Asian Cup match against Bahrain after they conceded in the final minutes. The result meant that Stephen Constantine & Co. were knocked out of the tournament having won just one of their three matches in the UAE.

Indian goalkeeper, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who failed to save a penalty from Bahrain's Jamal Rashid in the final minutes of the game, asserts that the Indian team should have made it to the knockout stages of the tournament. Indian coach, Stephen Constantine, immediately resigned from his post in the wake of the defeat. Gurpreet reckons that the next national coach will have to carry on from where the British coach left off and continue to promote youth talent in the senior teams.

"The federation has to decide on that (appointing the new national coach). But we have come a long way in the last 2-3 years. It is important to win games and develop as a team. We should have reached the next round in the Asian Cup. Therefore, whosoever comes in should focus on improving the footballing culture in our country. The next coach should help India reach the next level. For that the coach should also focus on the supply chain like the U-17, U-19, and U-23 sides. The Indian football team should also have a proper supply chain in place - like the Indian cricket team," Gurpreet told TOI in a recent interview.

The former Stabaek FC goalkeeper added that the Indian football has progressed immensely in the last few years and hopes to see it go to even greater heights in the near future. Meanwhile, he also lavished praise on former coach Constantine for helping the development of Indian football in the last five years.

"When I joined the team back in 2014-15, the entire team virtually comprised of newcomers. Gradually, we became a unit. The dressing room atmosphere became amazing. That led to good performances against good sides. A few years ago our FIFA ranking was 171 and now it is 97. To make further progress, it is important that we play against sides that are ranked above us.

"He did a great job. He was someone who brought the team together. Positive results came in throughout his tenure. The team that he took over and the team that he is leaving are totally different. We are a much-improved unit, a supremely fit side, and can deliver results - only if we play against better teams," Gurpreet added.

Cricket FootBall Kabaddi

Basketball Hockey

SportsCafe