SAFF Championship: Mood in the camp is better, but work not done yet, says Sunil Chhetri

Indian men’s football team made it to the final of the SAFF Championship thanks to back-to-back victories against Nepal and Maldives. But at one stage their position was precarious after their struggles in the opening two matches against low-ranked Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. While the team has not been defeated yet, Igor Stimac’s side has attracted a lot of criticism for their inability to break down their opponents.

Captain Sunil Chhetri has acknowledged that the team’s performance was not up to the mark but said the mood has now changed and the players are feeling a lot more confident going into the final against Nepal on Saturday.

“The mood in the camp right now is better. We did not start as we expected. Gradually, we performed better. To win a game where we have to win, against a home side in hostile conditions, was really satisfying. But we also know that the work is not done yet so we are working really hard on our recoveries and step on the pitch on 16th trying to win a football game and hopefully a trophy,” he said during a media interaction on Thursday.

Talking about their opponents, Chhetri praised Nepal’s ability to play as a unit and said that the team is prepared to slog it out on the pitch.

“They (Nepal) are the best as a team in this tournament. They might not have extraordinary individuals like Ali Ashfaq (of Maldives) but they have the best team. As far as defending as a team and attacking as a team is concerned, they are the best. Fortunately, we have played against them three times in the recent past and we have understood that they are a really good side and they are very compact. We are facing the best team in the final and it will not be easy.”

The captain stressed upon the fact that India also improved as the tournament went on and considering their ‘dominant’ status, they will push hard for the trophy.

“All the small changes, small betterments which the individuals have brought in have been a welcome change. In this kind of tournament, what has been done in the group stages or quarter or semi-final is forgotten very soon. And we are the dominant side in the region. Now that we are in the final, we should go all the way. The way we have been performing, peaking at the right time, if I may say so, we should go all the way.”

The 1-1 and 0-0 drawa against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka respectively laid bare the problems , especially in the area of goalscoring and midfield, where the team was not able to control the game.

While the 1-0 win against Nepal, courtesy a Chhetri goal, was not a complete turnaround, the 3-1 victory over Maldives showed the team’s ability to control the proceedings and get a positive result under pressure.

A Wonderful Gesture 🙌

Skipper @chetrisunil11 handed over his Man of the Match award to @apuiaralte45 for his brilliant performance today! 👏👏#INDMDV ⚔️ #SAFFChampionship2021 🏆 #BackTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/povTme0mZI

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 13, 2021

Chhetri, who was the Man of the Match against Maldives but gave his award to Apuia (Lalengmawia), singled out the young midfielder and Suresh Singh Wangjam for their contributions in the game and hoped for a bright future for them.

“I wish I had two Man of the Match awards so that I could give Apuia and Suresh. When they were chosen by the coach to play the match (against Maldives), I didn’t see any doubts in their eyes and their behaviour. They were so confident before the match that it was refreshing to see that. They made me so, so happy. These two lads will do a lot of good for my nation,” he said.

When questioned about consistency, Chhetri agreed it is an issue with the team and said players are responsible for it.

“The results haven’t been great and the players should take the blame. When you lose a game 1-0 against a team like Qatar, you take it. Then you go and don’t win against Afghanistan leading 1-0, you don’t win against Bangladesh then there’s no one else to be blamed. The results haven’t been great and we talk about it, especially the senior ones because we don’t want to burden the youngsters.

“You draw against a Sri Lanka team which you should’ve won handsomely, you can’t start pointing fingers at anyone else. The amount of chances me and Manvir (Singh) missed, it is not acceptable. We can’t be that volatile. We have to be consistent,” he said.