Armando looks to score through youth

NEW DELHI: Unlike his predecessor Bob Houghton, new national football coach Armando Colaco seems to have more faith in young talent.
The ongoing national camp has thrown up some new faces and many see it as a bold move by Colaco who has already signalled his intentions by removing some warhorses from the team. The move may pay good dividends as the Goan is likely to get loyal support from these little-known youngsters which should help him in the long run.
Some senior players, who have escaped the axe, have wholeheartedly backed Armando's 'youth is future' motto after the 58-year-old coach dropped stars like Baichung Bhutia and Renedy Singh.
Climax Lawrence, who captained India at the Asian Cup in Doha early this year, has happily accepted the fact that it is time for the juniors. "The camp is going to help them a lot in terms of experience and the seniors like us need to guide them," he told TOI on Sunday.
India play their World Cup qualifier second round away match against UAE on July 23 in Dubai while the return leg match will be played on July 28.
Another senior, Syed Rahim Nabi, had a different take. Nabi, who himself has enjoyed unflinching support from all his coaches, said, "Now that they have been called for the camp, the onus will be on them to prove their merit. Bob had a different set of players who were mostly seniors. But our present coach has done good to incorporate several youngsters in the team. This will help Indian football in the long run," said Nabi, who will now play for Mohun Bagan this season.
Meanwhile, juniors like Harmanjot Khabra is quite excited to be in his first national camp which has been quite an eye-opener for him. The East Bengal midfielder is enjoying the chance of interacting with top players like Mahesh Gawli, Sunil Chhetri, Sandip Nandy and Subrata Paul.
"It's a great feeling to be a part of the camp. I'm looking forward to cash in on the opportunity and do well," said the 22-year-old midfielder who shot into the limelight with impressive performances for East Bengal last season.
Karanjit Singh is another player who has got an opportunity, although belated, to be part of the national set-up. He did consistently well for JCT from 2004 to 2010. Now, with Arindam Bhattacharya recuperating from injuries, the Hoshiarpur-born player may fit the slot of third goalkeeper after Paul and Nandy.
The 26-year-old recently played a pivotal role in Salgaocar winning the I-League. "It gives me great satisfaction that I was part of the I-League winning team. I am here to make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead of me," he said.
With a mixture of experienced and young players in his roster, Armando is keen to get his act right before a series of international friendlies next month. For starters, India play Maldives on July 10 and Qatar on July 17.