True ,Pradyum deserves credit for finding hidden gems . But coaching and leading them to win two I-Leagues and a Fed Cup isba different thing. I just hope that whatever AIFFs decision is , it doesn't backfire.
In which areas can we see improvement in NT if Ashley becomes coach then compared to Stephen?
1) Fitness ? 2) Better Scouting of new players? 3) Better or say eye-candy style of playing? 4) Players will support Ashley more then what they support Stephen now? 5) Better attacking minded coach? 6) Better Defensive approach? 7) Better Support staff? 8) Temperament of the coach
In my opinion, Ashley only has BFC success in his CV where also Team was built by Pradhyum Reddy and it had best Indian Striker Sunil Chhetri. National Team coach is a different mettle altogether.
So you are putting his success down completely to Pradyum Reddy and Sunil Chhetri? Maybe in the first season or two but for all three seasons? You don't come to a new country and coach a new team and go on to win two national league titles and a domestic cup in two years (while being consistent in Asian play) without actually being good.
From the second season onwards there was quite a lot of change in Bengaluru FC. Guys like Kuttymani, Colaco, Fanai, and Amoes left while Lyngdoh, Udanta, Mawia, and Walker came in. We saw Westwood really rely on a set squad and while Chhetri was good, he was not great with only 2 goals that season. Lyngdoh and Robin Singh were the ones who rose to the occasion goal scoring wise. All this while getting 2nd place after losing the title in the last game of the season from a draw! They also managed to get into the semi-finals of the Durand Cup (which honestly, not that hard in that format) and win the Federation Cup. In Asia, they lost to one of the best Malaysian teams, away from home, in extra-time.
Third season, even more reshuffling. A lot of the first squad were trimmed from Bengaluru FC and a new set of Indian players bought in, as well as Michael Collins to replace Walker (injured) and Song-yong to replace Rooney. And look at the result? Sure, the only blemish is the Federation Cup defeat to Aizawl but they won the title! And they did it in convincing fashion. They could have won the league by 7 points had they taken the last match more seriously. And they managed to improve on their AFC Cup performance. Started slow in the group stage but they came back.
Is this the greatest achievement ever? No. Is it all on Westwood? No. But he deserves massive credit for what he has achieved since he arrived in India and I would gladly try him out as head coach for India.
I am not sure about fitness and scouting, that depends on what the AIFF allows him to do but I bet the players would support him better than Constantine where we heard of many players being against him at points during qualification. Better style of play? Not sure but honestly I loved watching Bengaluru FC play, they played like a unit that have been playing together for years. He kept the core strong and it showed, esspecially last season and he even managed to integrate new talent while not upsetting the balance of his teams.
nice points... it would be great if our friends can answer your questions...
My view on our NT coach...
Ashley will be good option for Indian NT.... I'm aware that coaching NT and Club are different where NT coach will get just 2-3 days before international game and bonding will be difficult...
But he has done extremely good with available players (with limited pool).... With NT, he can choose players from all over India and not just players from one Club and he need NOT depend only on Players scouted from Assistant coach or Youth Development coach,,,He can find best players from different channels... For scouting BFC players, we need to give credit to Pradhyum Reddy and shouldn't forget other coaching staff including fitness coach and/or Physio..
Regarding Sunil Chhetri playing for BFC.... Earlier he played for East Bengal & Mohun Bagan with other best Indian players( not including Chirag United Stint as it is only for 7 games) ... Leave about I League title with those teams... E.B & M.B not even finished in top 3.... and with B.F.C, he won 2 I-league titles in 3 seasons and came closer in second season by finishing 2nd.
If we can win titles or trophies by selecting best 11 or 14 players, then by now, most of top football playing countries should have won World Cups, Asian Cups and clubs could have won I League titles.... Also we can take example of South Africa in Cricket World Cups... We cannot win just by selecting best players...Bonding should be good b/w players, coach need to plan game based on opposition, Fitness coach/Physio needs to work best with players... Also players should be stress free, staff need to motivate players in hard situations, diet also important, owners should support staff in all aspects... everything.. each & every element counts.... Scouting alone cannot win trophies....
We need to credit each & everyone ( in BFC staff) for their success... They have done best with available players... Not everyone is best like Sunil Chettri.... Definitely everyone done well to bring best out of available players including Ashley.... Can you please name best available replacement for Stephen Constantine....
It's best time to test new coach... He can start scouting from now itself and he will be having sufficient time to plan properly before AFC Asian cup qualifiers... Stephen is good... But he doesn't deserve second chance... We have done extremely bad by finishing last in Qualifiers and can't even win against the likes of Guam & Turkmenistan. Where are we heading by losing with these teams...
We should not fly in sky after defeating likes of Laos & Bhutan... Even though, Puerto Rico is higher ranked team, but we all are aware of the situation of Pureto Rico players... However, I want to praise Stephen/AIFF for arranging friendly with Pureto Rico...and credit should be given to Indian players for playing good against higher ranked team...
My conclusion is: Ashley is best available coach and he is already tested in Indian conditions and can understand our players very well...
Agree with most points here. Am just worried on three things if we replace SC with Ashley.
1.) Scouting and handing over caps to new players may not have worked all the times. But times when you see Talents like a Rowlin, Changte working out and giving Us options am just worried if Ashley can brave it like that.
2.) Poor WCQ campaign. But we should have chucked him out after the loss to Turkmenistan. But after wins over Loas, Puerto rico have boosted his case for renewal seriously.We have slowly built a momentum which we never had since Houghton days. Would look bad if we have asked him to get out after winning 3 straight with margin of 11for and just 2 against.
3.) Not sure how many appreciate it but i like when the likes of Venkatesh, Yadav are part of a setup. These are our boys. Not sure Ashley would want our boys to work or share the limelight as much as SC has given them.
Sc still has a possible fifa window between Dec and Jan. If we get a serious higher placed team and beat them too then he needs to stay on till atleast the AFC cup qualification.
I still think Ashley needs to prove another season with another big club or atleast be part of ISL management to prove.
Seen a lot of times where for some managers it works extremely well only in a particular club or a setup but doesnt work when they go to a bigger setup.
India NT is something far bigger than a BFC setup.
Comments
1) Fitness ?
2) Better Scouting of new players?
3) Better or say eye-candy style of playing?
4) Players will support Ashley more then what they support Stephen now?
5) Better attacking minded coach?
6) Better Defensive approach?
7) Better Support staff?
8) Temperament of the coach
In my opinion, Ashley only has BFC success in his CV where also Team was built by Pradhyum Reddy and it had best Indian Striker Sunil Chhetri. National Team coach is a different mettle altogether.
From the second season onwards there was quite a lot of change in Bengaluru FC. Guys like Kuttymani, Colaco, Fanai, and Amoes left while Lyngdoh, Udanta, Mawia, and Walker came in. We saw Westwood really rely on a set squad and while Chhetri was good, he was not great with only 2 goals that season. Lyngdoh and Robin Singh were the ones who rose to the occasion goal scoring wise. All this while getting 2nd place after losing the title in the last game of the season from a draw! They also managed to get into the semi-finals of the Durand Cup (which honestly, not that hard in that format) and win the Federation Cup. In Asia, they lost to one of the best Malaysian teams, away from home, in extra-time.
Third season, even more reshuffling. A lot of the first squad were trimmed from Bengaluru FC and a new set of Indian players bought in, as well as Michael Collins to replace Walker (injured) and Song-yong to replace Rooney. And look at the result? Sure, the only blemish is the Federation Cup defeat to Aizawl but they won the title! And they did it in convincing fashion. They could have won the league by 7 points had they taken the last match more seriously. And they managed to improve on their AFC Cup performance. Started slow in the group stage but they came back.
Is this the greatest achievement ever? No. Is it all on Westwood? No. But he deserves massive credit for what he has achieved since he arrived in India and I would gladly try him out as head coach for India.
I am not sure about fitness and scouting, that depends on what the AIFF allows him to do but I bet the players would support him better than Constantine where we heard of many players being against him at points during qualification. Better style of play? Not sure but honestly I loved watching Bengaluru FC play, they played like a unit that have been playing together for years. He kept the core strong and it showed, esspecially last season and he even managed to integrate new talent while not upsetting the balance of his teams.
Westwood gets my vote any day over Constantine.
nice points... it would be great if our friends can answer your questions...
My view on our NT coach...
Ashley will be good option for Indian NT.... I'm aware that coaching NT and Club are different where NT coach will get just 2-3 days before international game and bonding will be difficult...
But he has done extremely good with available players (with limited pool).... With NT, he can choose players from all over India and not just players from one Club and he need NOT depend only on Players scouted from Assistant coach or Youth Development coach,,,He can find best players from different channels... For scouting BFC players, we need to give credit to Pradhyum Reddy and shouldn't forget other coaching staff including fitness coach and/or Physio..
Regarding Sunil Chhetri playing for BFC.... Earlier he played for East Bengal & Mohun Bagan with other best Indian players( not including Chirag United Stint as it is only for 7 games) ... Leave about I League title with those teams... E.B & M.B not even finished in top 3.... and with B.F.C, he won 2 I-league titles in 3 seasons and came closer in second season by finishing 2nd.
If we can win titles or trophies by selecting best 11 or 14 players, then by now, most of top football playing countries should have won World Cups, Asian Cups and clubs could have won I League titles.... Also we can take example of South Africa in Cricket World Cups...
We cannot win just by selecting best players...Bonding should be good b/w players, coach need to plan game based on opposition, Fitness coach/Physio needs to work best with players... Also players should be stress free, staff need to motivate players in hard situations, diet also important, owners should support staff in all aspects... everything.. each & every element counts.... Scouting alone cannot win trophies....
We need to credit each & everyone ( in BFC staff) for their success... They have done best with available players... Not everyone is best like Sunil Chettri.... Definitely everyone done well to bring best out of available players including Ashley....
Can you please name best available replacement for Stephen Constantine....
It's best time to test new coach... He can start scouting from now itself and he will be having sufficient time to plan properly before AFC Asian cup qualifiers...
Stephen is good... But he doesn't deserve second chance... We have done extremely bad by finishing last in Qualifiers and can't even win against the likes of Guam & Turkmenistan. Where are we heading by losing with these teams...
We should not fly in sky after defeating likes of Laos & Bhutan... Even though, Puerto Rico is higher ranked team, but we all are aware of the situation of Pureto Rico players... However, I want to praise Stephen/AIFF for arranging friendly with Pureto Rico...and credit should be given to Indian players for playing good against higher ranked team...
My conclusion is:
Ashley is best available coach and he is already tested in Indian conditions and can understand our players very well...
P.S : I'm NO Bhakt of Ashley
1.) Scouting and handing over caps to new players may not have worked all the times. But times when you see Talents like a Rowlin, Changte working out and giving Us options am just worried if Ashley can brave it like that.
2.) Poor WCQ campaign. But we should have chucked him out after the loss to Turkmenistan. But after wins over Loas, Puerto rico have boosted his case for renewal seriously.We have slowly built a momentum which we never had since Houghton days. Would look bad if we have asked him to get out after winning 3 straight with margin of 11for and just 2 against.
3.) Not sure how many appreciate it but i like when the likes of Venkatesh, Yadav are part of a setup. These are our boys. Not sure Ashley would want our boys to work or share the limelight as much as SC has given them.
Sc still has a possible fifa window between Dec and Jan. If we get a serious higher placed team and beat them too then he needs to stay on till atleast the AFC cup qualification.
I still think Ashley needs to prove another season with another big club or atleast be part of ISL management to prove.
Seen a lot of times where for some managers it works extremely well only in a particular club or a setup but doesnt work when they go to a bigger setup.
India NT is something far bigger than a BFC setup.
@ friends... please share your thoughts or at-least answer munna219777 questions...
If someone from AIFF visits this site, it will be very helpful for them and which in-turn we will be getting best coach for our national team