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SAFF Championship 2015 General Discussions

ArsenalFan700ArsenalFan700 Reddit13655 Points
edited December 2015 in SAFF Championship 2015
Did not see a discussion on this so thought why not.

It is now official that the 2015 SAFF Championship will be hosted in December, going into January 2016, in India. The newly created Greenfield Stadium shall host the tournament and all 8 South-Asian nations will take part.

Afghanistan are the reigning champions and could be in their last SAFF Championship as they look to leave SAFF and join the newly created Central Asian Zone.

India shall come into this tournament where anything less than a first-place finish could be seen as a disaster.
Manjufootydipmunna219777kuldeep007
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Comments

  • ManjuManju Mysore34 Points
    SAFF hai na tho sab ko saph kardenge!  :D
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  • CybertronCybertron 402 Points
    edited July 2015
    Most of the players of Afghanistan and Pakistan are still playing for European league clubs. Will that be detrimental to India's chances in SAFF championship?
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  • ArsenalFan700ArsenalFan700 Reddit13655 Points
    No. Afghanistan and Pakistan are not that much better with the Euro-based guys. One of their better players is going to be a bench player in the American 3rd division. Afghanistan's captain was an average I-League player and some of their foreign based guys have played in India and not lit up the place.

    India, if the right squad is selected, should be able to win the SAFF Championship. Anything less is a failure IMO.
    The real AGkuldeep007
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  • ArsenalFan700ArsenalFan700 Reddit13655 Points
    I think you are overrating Faysal. The guy was a bit time player in the worst team in Bulgaria and now plays in the second division of Thailand. Good youth career, but so do a lot of sunday leaguers in England who used to play at the youth academies of Arsenal or another top club. Honestly, there whole team plays in lower divisions of European leagues, not even good ones, and their recent results are below-average. 6-0 loss to Syria, only beating Cambodia 1-0. A draw against Bangladesh.

    Ya, I am not scared of these guys.

    Bangladesh's guy though does look like a proper physical player but I don't think he is much of a threat.

    My only worry for India is that the SAFF Championship begins so soon after the ISL final. This will put preparations at doubt. The ISL season ends on 6 December. So whatever players from the four last place teams make the squad will get good preparation for the tournament. While the two semi-finalists will not be available till 16 December. Okay time before the tournament.

    Really does make me hate these preparations. SAFF Championship should have started in January to mid-January with February being the start of the I-League. You can get 20 rounds done in the 4 month period. There are 17 weekends from the beginning of February to the end of May, throw in some weekday games and you have the season.
    munna219777kuldeep007
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  • deepakcdeepakc Mumbai 3416 Points
    India will struggle, Bangladesh has a much more sensible domestic calender. Pakistan has a good mix of europe experience and these players would not be overworked. All the top guys in India would have been run to death in ISL and also would keep their ileague careers at the back of their minds (so would not want to push themselves too much). India would be better off fielding an U 23 team and atleast giving the young lads more experience.
    Deb_Banmunna219777silicon3kuldeep007
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  • ArsenalFan700ArsenalFan700 Reddit13655 Points
    We might be lucky actually with ISL. The top players will be playing for the national team during the ISL. That means when they are not with the national team they might just be on the bench for their ISL team or sporadically on the bench or starting as the coach does not want to ruin chemistry.

    Also, 4 teams worth of national players could be available by 6 December. Next 2 by 16 December.

    Majority of the squad should be available then a week before. Not adequate but not bad.
    munna219777kuldeep007
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  • CybertronCybertron 402 Points
    The situation in South Asia is changing at a very fast pace. Our neighbours in South Asia are improving which is a matter of grave concern for Indian football.

    That is why Stephen Constantine and AIFF are in panic mode. They are trying hard to include PIO origin players in Indian team as a temporary solution for the time being.
    munna219777
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  • munna219777munna219777 28557 Points
    Couple of years back, we at IFN were discussing that SAFF championship should be restricted only to U-23 players for India National Team and we should move to more difficult zones. How things have changed now. We are not 100% sure that we will win SAFF next time.
    Deb_Banarchakreddevil87kuldeep007
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  • CybertronCybertron 402 Points
    Beaten by Afghanistan, Pakistan or Bangladesh in SAFF will be a huge death blow to Indian football.
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  • ManjuManju Mysore34 Points
    Last thing sports fans of India need to be TOWEL THROWERS! now thats huge death blow, Even in pragmatism i see India in Finals.
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