They say, a team is as vociferous as its fans. Be it the Barmy Army for the Three Lions or the fanatic supporters of the Die Mannschaft, they always stay behind their team through thick and thin, with just two words connecting them -- 'love' and ‘passion.’
The undying love for their own team connects the supporters across the length and breadth of the country regardless of the result on the pitch. The energy that they bring in provides the team with an added motivation on the pitch -- it's mutual and contagious. A group of young energetic blokes, in an evening ahead of the FIFA U17 World Cup India 2017, sat down together to make something identical for the Blue Tigers, and hence, we saw the birth of the 'Blue Pilgrims' - the army behind the Blue Tigers – reflecting the emotion of 1.3 billion Indians.
As the Indian National Team sweats it out at the preparatory camp in the Capital, India's newly-appointed Head Coach Igor Stimac, took some time out from his busy schedule to meet a bunch of enthusiastic pilgrims at the JLN Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday (May 25, 2019).
The Coach seemed quite overwhelmed having met the Blue Pilgrims, and didn't mince his words thanking them for their support for the Blue Tigers.
“Thank you for all your support. A Football team can never exist without its fans. I have been informed about the passionate Indian supporters and their enthusiasm has been incredible. I'd like to thank you on behalf of the team,” he said to the pilgrims. “This is just the beginning. We need to travel, and achieve our targets together.”
As the boys walked into the stadium for the practice session, the chants of the pilgrims reverberated around the stands.
Sunil Chhetri was greeted amidst huge cheer, and the talismanic striker, in his signature pose, folded his hands to greet them. The 34-year-old stated; “It’s not only us who play the game. It’s also these people who represent India alongside us. They are our 12th man and we’re merely nothing without them. Thank you, boys and girls, for your support,” Chhetri echoed.
Another fan-favourite, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu reiterated that the team is nothing without its fans.
"I feel it's a collective effort. We're no one without them. When we play our part on the pitch, they play an equally important role from the stands. The enthusiasm and passion they have shown over the years is simply inexplicable and I fail short of words thanking them,” Gurpreet maintained.
Sushant Yadav, an IT Professional clad in the Tricolour, was brimming with exuberance having seen his heroes warming up in front of his eyes.
"We can't express how much does it mean to us. It's been an absolutely dream-come-true moment for me to see the Indian National Team practising in front of us. We thank coach Igor Stimac for allowing us,” Yadav's voice choked.
Lanky defender Sandesh Jhingan who led the team to the Hero Tri-nation Series glory welcomed more supporters to throng the stadiums in support of the Blue Tigers.
“Probably, we could not have achieved what we have achieved so far without the support we have got. Wherever we played, they have always been there with the tricolours, and that played a crucial role in our performances. We hope to see them in greater numbers in our upcoming challenges. Let’s overcome them together,” Jhingan quipped.
Aakash Yunas, a regular member of the Blue Pilgrims, who had travelled all the way to the UAE to support the Blue Tigers during the AFC Asian Cup earlier this year, also thanked coach Stimac for allowing the troop to the training session and meet the team.
"Blue Pilgrims have supported the Indian National Team through the thick and thin. On behalf of everyone, we need to thank coach Igor Stimac for taking his time out for us. We, on behalf of the 1.3 billion Indians, welcome him. We're sure India Football will reach the next level under him," said Yunas.
Pritam Kotal, the soft-spoken full-back was fully blown away by the “raw emotion” shown by the pilgrims.
"Although only 11 of us get the chance to play for our country, it's about all of the 1.3 billion Indians, and these folks have who display raw emotion towards us. Wherever we played, a few of them have always travelled to cheer for us. In one way or another, it has helped us feel at home and motivating ourselves to push more on the pitch,” Kotal explained.
The Blue Tigers are currently undergoing their preparatory camp at the JLN Stadium in New Delhi before flying off to Thailand to compete in the King's Cup 2019. India are scheduled to face Curacao in their first match at the Chang Arena in Buriram on June 5.
Exclusive: I have advised my players to be professional, if others clubs approach them- Akbar Nawas
The Tamil Nadu-based side are on the back on an excellent campaign.
With the 2018-19 I-League title in their trophy cabinet, Chennai City will be hoping to start off the upcoming football season with a bang! With a good run in the Super Cup, losing to eventual champions FC Goa in the semi-finals, the club will be aiming to keep its star players. Many of them have obviously fallen under the radar of other cash-strapped clubs.
The Coimbatore-based outfit will be playing in the upcoming I-League season, and will be hoping to have another fantastic campaign.
Khel Now interviewed the man behind Chennai City's recent success, Akbar Nawas. He spoke about his team, their I-League victory and Super Cup campaign, transfer window, and much more.
Q1. The 2018-19 season was fantastic for Chennai City. What are your thoughts regarding the team's showing?
It was a great feat to achieve our desired outcome by having a strong belief in our playing philosophy throughout the season. It was a satisfying achievement.
Q2. How was the team before you arrived, and what did you need to change in the team to make it into a title challenger?
The team was raw however they were ready to learn and absorb as much as they possibly could tactically.
We changed the players' style of play to adopt a new approach to training and positional play. Like keeping possession of the ball and defending from the front, was taught to make them competitive.
Q3. In the Super Cup, Chennai beat Bengaluru but lost to Goa in the semi-finals. What was there to learn from the Super Cup?
Beating the ISL champions Bengaluru asserted our stature as the "Champion of Indian Football", however at the same time we were given a good footballing lesson by Goa. That goes only to show we have much to improve and learn in football even though we were champions.
Q4. How did you imbibe the Spanish style of play in your squad? Who has been the most important foreigner in your team, and also the most important Indian?
It was difficult at the start to enforce my football philosophy but we persisted and worked on it during training. I would say, all the foreign contingent and locals, contributed immensely and were equally important.
Q5. After the 2018-19 season, your key players - domestic and foreign - are being courted by clubs, both in the I-League and ISL. What is your stance on player sales this summer?
I have sought to keep all the players for continuity and our management is on the same page.
Players that have left are those players who wanted to leave and, therefore, we can't keep a player who does not want to play for us.
Q6. Earlier Khel Now had revealed that Romario Jesuraj had allegedly negotiated with an ISL outfit without informing his parent club. What do you have to say about that, and has it happened with other players too?
I've let my management to handle this but I've advised my players to be professional, and to discuss matters with the management if such an approach arises.
Q7. Due to the current unsure scenario regarding I-League, what have your foreign players said? Do they want to leave? What is your stance on it?
Yes, it's uncertain. But my owner has assured us that I-League will still be the top league in India next season, as the next season's champion of I-league will qualify for AFC Champions League. The players have kept their faith in the club and owner on this.
Q8. Do you think there is a huge gap between I-League and ISL clubs? Which league is better and more competitive according to you?
Both are competitive and it's for all to see that there are no gaps from the performances of last year and this year's Super Cup.
Q9. What are your expectations about the upcoming season? What are the areas in which you are looking to strengthen and how concerned are you about further potential departures?
We look to improve in our style of play and obviously to look towards winning one game at a time and see where that takes us at the end of the season. We will start from zero as being champions is the past. We have to work twice as hard, focus twice as hard, train twice as hard, run twice as hard, learn twice as hard, and compete twice as hard as every team would want to beat us.
I sincerely hope for no more departures, and if it happens we have to deal with it and keep on scouting for talents.
Q10. A message for your and Chennai City fans in India.
Next season we need more support as it will be tough, the question is can every fan now rally behind us and propel us to keep wanting to win for them as well.
"Yes, it's uncertain. But my owner has assured us that I-League will still be the top league in India next season, as the next season's champion of I-league will qualify for AFC Champions League..." Is it true??
Filling the void: Why is the out-and-out striker a dying breed in Indian football?
As Igor Stimac takes charge of the national team perhaps his biggest challenge is to identify a reliable goal scorer for both the short and long term.
IM Vijayan re-started what Neville D’Souza had started in the 1950s, and that trend was then passed on to Bhaichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri, in parallel trajectories of time and conditions. It has all worked out smoothly until now for the Blue Tigers - the side has always had someone to look up to to end moves, to finish things, to put the ball in the back of the net.
The trend looks set to hit a roadblock and the view beyond the current #11 is blurry. Jeje Lalpekhlua doesn’t inspire ball-playing of similar ability and Balwant Singh, at 32, has lost yards of pace that made him a menace during his time at Churchill Brothers in 2013-14. Let’s take a look at the queue behind.
Manvir Singh has made a lot of appearances for the national team, both at the senior and U-23 level. The FC Goa striker hasn’t taken the chances by the scruff of their neck and has failed to make a long-lasting statement. Alongside him, Daniel Lalhlimpuia has played a few times, but he has recently had a forgettable season at Delhi Dynamos.
Daniel hasn’t scored for the national team since his U-20 days and his drought is down to his playing style. He had some decent outings for Bengaluru FC in the past, but his transfer to the capital hasn’t really shaken up the world for him - instead pushing him down the pecking order. Manvir, too, is more of a predator, something Lalpekhlua, with two dozen international goals, already provides to the national side.
It would be criminally incorrect to say that Vijayan and Bhutia were all-round creators and developers like Chhetri is today, but at least the former duo participated in the build-up play more than most Indian strikers are, at the club level and at the international level, whoever gets a chance, currently.
Also in the queue (probably) is Justin, the East Bengal striker who has scored 11 goals in 26 outings for the club already, but had been overlooked by Stephen Constantine, falling in line with the cold shoulder given to the I-league for the AFC Asian Cup 2019 and to its build-up. Liston Colaco is still raw for the project, but should’ve been tried at the AFC U-23 Championship. Rohit Danu, too, looks too far from representing the national team anytime soon. What until then?
Manvir has been compared to Robin Singh in several quarters and that’s not a kind juxtaposition to be in. Daniel has been tried and has clearly failed. The less discussed about Aniket Jadhav and Rahim Ali, the better. They can, at their best, be withdrawn forwards that operate from the wing and do not inspire a lot of confidence in front of goal. Hitesh Sharma, at ATK, has not matched expectations, let alone exceed them. In his defence, the player has been mostly played out of position.
Why has the line dried up at the top of the pitch, when India practically has a lot of options at every other position?
Most Indian clubs have traditionally anointed the goalscoring responsibilities to foreigners, and that has been stagnating the inflow of strikers. Players like Hitesh, Thongkhosiem Haokip, Seiminlen Doungel and others that were on the brink of breaking out and showed promise never made the position their own because they were not playing in their position for their respective clubs regularly.
India will not have a goalscoring forward, influential at the level of what a Sunil Chhetri or a Bhaichung has been and was and the clubs have only themselves to blame. With Igor Stimac in the hotseat, it will be interesting to see how an obvious European touch (in sync with Isac Doru) can change things for India in the long run. Or will it?
Two League conundrum - When will it end ? Every year we listen that this is last year of I-League and there will be merger. AFC is strict. Yet every year AFC / FIFA allow two league nonsense. And step-motherly treatment of I-League in TV Broadcast and stadiums will continue next year also !! Now elections have finished - PP is meeting with I-League clubs or not ?
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BLUE PILGRIMS’ DAY OUT WITH BLUE TIGERS
They say, a team is as vociferous as its fans. Be it the Barmy Army for the Three Lions or the fanatic supporters of the Die Mannschaft, they always stay behind their team through thick and thin, with just two words connecting them -- 'love' and ‘passion.’
The undying love for their own team connects the supporters across the length and breadth of the country regardless of the result on the pitch. The energy that they bring in provides the team with an added motivation on the pitch -- it's mutual and contagious. A group of young energetic blokes, in an evening ahead of the FIFA U17 World Cup India 2017, sat down together to make something identical for the Blue Tigers, and hence, we saw the birth of the 'Blue Pilgrims' - the army behind the Blue Tigers – reflecting the emotion of 1.3 billion Indians.
As the Indian National Team sweats it out at the preparatory camp in the Capital, India's newly-appointed Head Coach Igor Stimac, took some time out from his busy schedule to meet a bunch of enthusiastic pilgrims at the JLN Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday (May 25, 2019).
The Coach seemed quite overwhelmed having met the Blue Pilgrims, and didn't mince his words thanking them for their support for the Blue Tigers.
“Thank you for all your support. A Football team can never exist without its fans. I have been informed about the passionate Indian supporters and their enthusiasm has been incredible. I'd like to thank you on behalf of the team,” he said to the pilgrims. “This is just the beginning. We need to travel, and achieve our targets together.”
As the boys walked into the stadium for the practice session, the chants of the pilgrims reverberated around the stands.
Sunil Chhetri was greeted amidst huge cheer, and the talismanic striker, in his signature pose, folded his hands to greet them. The 34-year-old stated; “It’s not only us who play the game. It’s also these people who represent India alongside us. They are our 12th man and we’re merely nothing without them. Thank you, boys and girls, for your support,” Chhetri echoed.
Another fan-favourite, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu reiterated that the team is nothing without its fans.
"I feel it's a collective effort. We're no one without them. When we play our part on the pitch, they play an equally important role from the stands. The enthusiasm and passion they have shown over the years is simply inexplicable and I fail short of words thanking them,” Gurpreet maintained.
Sushant Yadav, an IT Professional clad in the Tricolour, was brimming with exuberance having seen his heroes warming up in front of his eyes.
"We can't express how much does it mean to us. It's been an absolutely dream-come-true moment for me to see the Indian National Team practising in front of us. We thank coach Igor Stimac for allowing us,” Yadav's voice choked.
Lanky defender Sandesh Jhingan who led the team to the Hero Tri-nation Series glory welcomed more supporters to throng the stadiums in support of the Blue Tigers.
“Probably, we could not have achieved what we have achieved so far without the support we have got. Wherever we played, they have always been there with the tricolours, and that played a crucial role in our performances. We hope to see them in greater numbers in our upcoming challenges. Let’s overcome them together,” Jhingan quipped.
Aakash Yunas, a regular member of the Blue Pilgrims, who had travelled all the way to the UAE to support the Blue Tigers during the AFC Asian Cup earlier this year, also thanked coach Stimac for allowing the troop to the training session and meet the team.
"Blue Pilgrims have supported the Indian National Team through the thick and thin. On behalf of everyone, we need to thank coach Igor Stimac for taking his time out for us. We, on behalf of the 1.3 billion Indians, welcome him. We're sure India Football will reach the next level under him," said Yunas.
Pritam Kotal, the soft-spoken full-back was fully blown away by the “raw emotion” shown by the pilgrims.
"Although only 11 of us get the chance to play for our country, it's about all of the 1.3 billion Indians, and these folks have who display raw emotion towards us. Wherever we played, a few of them have always travelled to cheer for us. In one way or another, it has helped us feel at home and motivating ourselves to push more on the pitch,” Kotal explained.
The Blue Tigers are currently undergoing their preparatory camp at the JLN Stadium in New Delhi before flying off to Thailand to compete in the King's Cup 2019. India are scheduled to face Curacao in their first match at the Chang Arena in Buriram on June 5.
https://the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=9709
Exclusive: I have advised my players to be professional, if others clubs approach them- Akbar Nawas
The Tamil Nadu-based side are on the back on an excellent campaign.
With the 2018-19 I-League title in their trophy cabinet, Chennai City will be hoping to start off the upcoming football season with a bang! With a good run in the Super Cup, losing to eventual champions FC Goa in the semi-finals, the club will be aiming to keep its star players. Many of them have obviously fallen under the radar of other cash-strapped clubs.
The Coimbatore-based outfit will be playing in the upcoming I-League season, and will be hoping to have another fantastic campaign.
Khel Now interviewed the man behind Chennai City's recent success, Akbar Nawas. He spoke about his team, their I-League victory and Super Cup campaign, transfer window, and much more.
Q1. The 2018-19 season was fantastic for Chennai City. What are your thoughts regarding the team's showing?
It was a great feat to achieve our desired outcome by having a strong belief in our playing philosophy throughout the season. It was a satisfying achievement.
Q2. How was the team before you arrived, and what did you need to change in the team to make it into a title challenger?
The team was raw however they were ready to learn and absorb as much as they possibly could tactically.
We changed the players' style of play to adopt a new approach to training and positional play. Like keeping possession of the ball and defending from the front, was taught to make them competitive.
Q3. In the Super Cup, Chennai beat Bengaluru but lost to Goa in the semi-finals. What was there to learn from the Super Cup?
Beating the ISL champions Bengaluru asserted our stature as the "Champion of Indian Football", however at the same time we were given a good footballing lesson by Goa. That goes only to show we have much to improve and learn in football even though we were champions.
Q4. How did you imbibe the Spanish style of play in your squad? Who has been the most important foreigner in your team, and also the most important Indian?
It was difficult at the start to enforce my football philosophy but we persisted and worked on it during training. I would say, all the foreign contingent and locals, contributed immensely and were equally important.
Q5. After the 2018-19 season, your key players - domestic and foreign - are being courted by clubs, both in the I-League and ISL. What is your stance on player sales this summer?
I have sought to keep all the players for continuity and our management is on the same page.
Players that have left are those players who wanted to leave and, therefore, we can't keep a player who does not want to play for us.
Q6. Earlier Khel Now had revealed that Romario Jesuraj had allegedly negotiated with an ISL outfit without informing his parent club. What do you have to say about that, and has it happened with other players too?
I've let my management to handle this but I've advised my players to be professional, and to discuss matters with the management if such an approach arises.
Q7. Due to the current unsure scenario regarding I-League, what have your foreign players said? Do they want to leave? What is your stance on it?
Yes, it's uncertain. But my owner has assured us that I-League will still be the top league in India next season, as the next season's champion of I-league will qualify for AFC Champions League. The players have kept their faith in the club and owner on this.
Q8. Do you think there is a huge gap between I-League and ISL clubs? Which league is better and more competitive according to you?
Both are competitive and it's for all to see that there are no gaps from the performances of last year and this year's Super Cup.
Q9. What are your expectations about the upcoming season? What are the areas in which you are looking to strengthen and how concerned are you about further potential departures?
We look to improve in our style of play and obviously to look towards winning one game at a time and see where that takes us at the end of the season. We will start from zero as being champions is the past. We have to work twice as hard, focus twice as hard, train twice as hard, run twice as hard, learn twice as hard, and compete twice as hard as every team would want to beat us.
I sincerely hope for no more departures, and if it happens we have to deal with it and keep on scouting for talents.
Q10. A message for your and Chennai City fans in India.
Next season we need more support as it will be tough, the question is can every fan now rally behind us and propel us to keep wanting to win for them as well.
https://khelnow.com/news/article/i-league-2019-20-chennai-city-akbar-nawas-exclusive-interview
Filling the void: Why is the out-and-out striker a dying breed in Indian football?
As Igor Stimac takes charge of the national team perhaps his biggest challenge is to identify a reliable goal scorer for both the short and long term.
IM Vijayan re-started what Neville D’Souza had started in the 1950s, and that trend was then passed on to Bhaichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri, in parallel trajectories of time and conditions. It has all worked out smoothly until now for the Blue Tigers - the side has always had someone to look up to to end moves, to finish things, to put the ball in the back of the net.
The trend looks set to hit a roadblock and the view beyond the current #11 is blurry. Jeje Lalpekhlua doesn’t inspire ball-playing of similar ability and Balwant Singh, at 32, has lost yards of pace that made him a menace during his time at Churchill Brothers in 2013-14. Let’s take a look at the queue behind.
Manvir Singh has made a lot of appearances for the national team, both at the senior and U-23 level. The FC Goa striker hasn’t taken the chances by the scruff of their neck and has failed to make a long-lasting statement. Alongside him, Daniel Lalhlimpuia has played a few times, but he has recently had a forgettable season at Delhi Dynamos.
Daniel hasn’t scored for the national team since his U-20 days and his drought is down to his playing style. He had some decent outings for Bengaluru FC in the past, but his transfer to the capital hasn’t really shaken up the world for him - instead pushing him down the pecking order. Manvir, too, is more of a predator, something Lalpekhlua, with two dozen international goals, already provides to the national side.
It would be criminally incorrect to say that Vijayan and Bhutia were all-round creators and developers like Chhetri is today, but at least the former duo participated in the build-up play more than most Indian strikers are, at the club level and at the international level, whoever gets a chance, currently.
Also in the queue (probably) is Justin, the East Bengal striker who has scored 11 goals in 26 outings for the club already, but had been overlooked by Stephen Constantine, falling in line with the cold shoulder given to the I-league for the AFC Asian Cup 2019 and to its build-up. Liston Colaco is still raw for the project, but should’ve been tried at the AFC U-23 Championship. Rohit Danu, too, looks too far from representing the national team anytime soon. What until then?
Manvir has been compared to Robin Singh in several quarters and that’s not a kind juxtaposition to be in. Daniel has been tried and has clearly failed. The less discussed about Aniket Jadhav and Rahim Ali, the better. They can, at their best, be withdrawn forwards that operate from the wing and do not inspire a lot of confidence in front of goal. Hitesh Sharma, at ATK, has not matched expectations, let alone exceed them. In his defence, the player has been mostly played out of position.
Why has the line dried up at the top of the pitch, when India practically has a lot of options at every other position?
Most Indian clubs have traditionally anointed the goalscoring responsibilities to foreigners, and that has been stagnating the inflow of strikers. Players like Hitesh, Thongkhosiem Haokip, Seiminlen Doungel and others that were on the brink of breaking out and showed promise never made the position their own because they were not playing in their position for their respective clubs regularly.
India will not have a goalscoring forward, influential at the level of what a Sunil Chhetri or a Bhaichung has been and was and the clubs have only themselves to blame. With Igor Stimac in the hotseat, it will be interesting to see how an obvious European touch (in sync with Isac Doru) can change things for India in the long run. Or will it?
https://khelnow.com/news/article/indian-football-team-2019-striker-unavailability
I-League champion ----> ACL Qualifiers
FED CUP/Cup Champion/ISL Champion----> AFC Cup Qualifiers
Every year we listen that this is last year of I-League and there will be merger. AFC is strict. Yet every year AFC / FIFA allow two league nonsense.
And step-motherly treatment of I-League in TV Broadcast and stadiums will continue next year also !!
Now elections have finished - PP is meeting with I-League clubs or not ?