We need to keep playing regularly against top Asian sides, asserts Sunil Chhetri
Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri has stated that the Indian team needs to play regularly against the top Asian sides in order to go to the next level. The Indian team has started redying itself to participate in the AFC Asian cup which starts early in January next year.
The Asian Football Confederation’s(AFC) decision to increase the number of participants at the AFC Asian Cup from 16 to 24 has made the entry for the Indian team more accommodative. Even the Indian football team skipper has stated that the Indian team needs to keep playing the top Asian sides in order to improve at the International level.
“It’s very, very important for us to keep playing against the big giants – the UAEs, the Australias, the Korea Republics,” Chhetri told FIFA.com.
“It’s one thing to do well against your neighbours, and without demeaning any one of them, it’s a different thing when you go out and play the giants of Asia.”
India could not qualify for the last edition of the Asian Cup in 2015. Though this time around, the Indian team has been put in Group-A along with hosts UAE, Bahrain and Thailand.
“I was really dejected when we missed out on the last edition,” Chhetri said.
India is currently ranked 97th in the FIFA rankings. They will take on Thailand in their first match at the Asian Cup on January 6th. The Thailand team is currently ranked a lowly 118. Apart from Bahrain, the Indian team will play hosts UAE on 10th January and Bahrain on the 14th of the same month. The Indian captain said that every team is a good one in their group and it would not be easy to win against such quality sides.
“Without putting ourselves down, when you’re India and you qualify for the Asian Cup any team that you face are going to be difficult,” said Chhetri, India’s record scorer with 65 goals and their most experienced player with 103 caps.
“In UAE and