India under pressure to end long wait for trophy

Panaji: India is a regional powerhouse in football, winning a record number of titles in men and women’s categories in South Asia. The men have won nine of 14 tournaments; women have won five of seven editions.It’s a record that would make the neighbours envious. But as India hosts the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women’s Championship, starting Monday in Goa, the national team would be under considerable pressure to end a seven-year wait for the title.“It's quite tricky for us because everyone always wants us to win,” India coach Crispin Chettri said during the pre-match media interaction on Sunday. “SAFF nations are moving forward and it’s getting competitive every year. It was delightful to see India and Bangladesh at the AFC Asian Cup (among top 12 teams in the continent) and Nepal missing out narrowly (against Uzbekistan on penalties in the final qualifier).”India’s last triumph was in 2019. Since then, the five-time champions have not made it to the final as Bangladesh, winner of the last two editions, have had to contend with a rising Nepal for the title.“When you are the host, you want to win the tournament. But our benchmark right now is how we, as a country, can progress, and do better at the next Asian Cup. The preparation for that starts now. But being the host, we have to win,” said Chettri, ahead of the clash against Maldives in the opener on Monday.Winning the SAFF Championship in Goa will not just help India end Bangladesh’s grip over the trophy but also help settle Chettri’s future with the national team. Unceremoniously reduced to an assistant for the Asian Cup where the federation preferred to bring in Costa Rica’s World Cup-coach Amelia Valverde, Chettri needs a trophy to convince the technical committee to give him the job on long-term basis. His short contract, after all, is up for scrutiny at the end of the tournament. Chhetri, though, remains defiant. For him, collective progress matters more than individual honour.“It’s more about how we prepare for our next Asian Cup than winning the SAFF Championship,” said Chhetri, explaining the inclusion of age-group players in the senior team. “Yes, SAFF Championship will be good for my CV, but not for our football culture to be built, to develop as a footballing nation. We have to decide whether we want to win or develop and become a better footballing nation and be regulars at the AFC Asian Cup. I know everyone wants to win but we have to strike a balance.”At this stage, maybe India can do with a little bit of both: win and develop too. But that will be easier said than done. Bangladesh will be eager to show the region that their two successive titles are a norm, rather than exception. Winning a hat-trick of titles on Indian soil could be even more fulfilling.No wonder the team had a preparatory camp in Thailand and arrived in Goa with a contingent that is hungry to succeed.Equally determined will be Nepal. The second-best ranked team in South Asia at 87 have made it to six of the seven finals, missing just once in 2016. They’ve had no success so far. Without the talismanic Sabitra Bhandari, who plays in the A-League for Wellington Phoenix, it’s going to be a tall order, but that won’t stop them from making another fierce push.