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No end for Indian soccer woes
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 Rudraneil
Sengupta
CNN-IBN
Posted Tuesday , February 14, 2006 at 22:12
New Delhi: Tough times never seem to end for Indian football and
they are in a group of death in this year's Asian Cup qualifiers
with two world cup teams in their group - Japan and Saudi Arabia.
"They say it is a group of death but to me it is a group of
champions. If we are able to beat the champions then we are better,"
chief coach Syed Naeemuddin says.
India have been hit by injury problems and star striker Baichung
Bhutia will be without strike partner Abhishek Yadav who broke his
arm at a practise game.
Bhaichung himself has been plagued by injuries but has been named
the skipper of the 24-member Indian squad that will take part in
the AFC Asia Cup qualifying round match against Japan to be played
in Yokohama on February 22.
"last time when we played we had some injury problems especially
at the back. We had good players like Mahesh and Suresh not being
able to play due to injuries," Baichung says.
If it invloves Indian football, then there just has to be a debacle.
This time is no different as the All India Football Federation
could not arrange a single practise game for the Indian team before
the qualifiers.
Meanwhile Japan played against the US and India were reduced to
playing against the Turkeministan U-20 team.
The team management as usual, gave an unconvincing response to
the problem.
"The main problem is to solve the problem. We don't want to
look back. Offcourse we did not get this, we could not get that
bolne se nahi chalega (saying this will not work). We have to go
forward," Naeemuddin says.
The Japan-bound team comprises three goalkeepers, seven defenders,
six midfielders and four strikers, besides the four standby players.
http://www.ibnlive.com/article.php?id=5377§ion_id=5
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