India U-23 to play Qatar in preparation for AFC Championship 2020 qualifiers
The Maroons won their first ever AFC Asian Cup in UAE 2019.
The Indian National U-23 team will play AFC Asian Cup champions' U-23 side in a bid to prepare for AFC Championship 2020 qualifiers, to be held in Uzbekistan from 22nd March till 26th March 2019. All India Football Federation, earlier today, announced the list of probables for the Qualifiers.
It is reported that they will undergo two preparatory camps before flying to Uzbekistan. The camps will be set up in two phases, first from 2nd to 8th & the second between 16th to 19th March ’19, and a friendly against Qatar. It is reported that they will play the friendly between on either 20th or 21st March 2019.
Should India qualify from their tough group F, they will fly to Thailand to feature in the fourth edition of the AFC U-23 Championship in January 2019.
India have hosts Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan in their qualifying group. There are 11 groups in the qualifying stage and the winner of every group gets a pass in the final tournament. Adding to that, there are four more spots for the four best 2nd placed sides from those 11 groups.
India's best finish came in 2010 when they went till the Round of 16 in China. They failed to qualify for the previous edition in Indonesia 2018. The upcoming set of fixtures will be a test for the young side, consisting of the likes of Anirudh Thapa, Lallianzuala Chhangte, with loads of experience.
Derrick Pereira will be the head coach of the U-23 Indian national football team along with Shanmugam Venkatesh as the assistant coach.
This is our best chance to qualify for next round. most of the players are experienced . Hope Derrick succeeded as coach (though his tactics and style of play is not attractive)
Although Ban was lifted, funding has been stopped. There is a supreme court of Pakistan interference in their Football Feeration and FIFA has zero tolerance for it. New federation Bosses are not recognised by FIFA and thus unlikely to send any team. I will not be surprised that they again get a Ban.
They are just a poor federation. So they get ban for anything. Instead with so many BS we get to be called waking giant of world football. Its all about money and market.
What India's new U-23 coach Derrick Pereira brings to the table
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has confirmed that Derrick Pereira has been appointed the coach of the Indian U-23 team, replacing national coach Stephen Constantine, who stepped down after India's exit from the AFC Asian Cup in January.
AIFF confirmed to ESPN that the appointment is only up to the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualification, which takes place in Uzbekistan in March this year. The AFC U-23 championships next year in Thailand will determine Asian qualification for the 2020 Olympics.
Here's what you need to know about Pereira and what to expect during his stint.
Who is Derrick Pereira?
Pereira was a defender at Salgaocar during his playing days, and has been coaching clubs across Indian football for the last two decades since retiring. He is currently FC Goa's technical director in the ISL and has also worked under Sergio Lobera as assistant coach and head coach of Goa's reserves during the 2017-18 season.
He shot to fame first by guiding Vasco SC of Goa to a third-place finish in the National Football League (NFL) in 2002-03, noteworthy considering it was one of the clubs that operated on the lowest budgets and relied almost entirely on local players.
He then took charge of Mahindra United during their most successful run in Indian football between 2005 and 2009, a period during which they won the Federation Cup, the NFL and also made the AFC Cup quarterfinals in 2007. In subsequent years, he took charge of Pune FC and DSK Shivajians, besides a stint with Salgaocar, and made his name for grooming young talents during his stints with each of the clubs. One of the players he groomed while at Salgaocar is Seriton Fernandes, who has made a reputation as one of the best Indian right-backs in the ISL with Goa.
What style would you expect from him?
Pereira's stints at Pune and Shivajians would suggest his U-23 team should be expected to punch above its weight, with a compact, counter-attacking style of play with emphasis on movement along the flanks.
How Mahindra United would play was a good template of how Pereira employed his philosophy with later teams too. Current national team assistant coach Shanmugham Venkatesh was the midfield enforcer, with NP Pradeep, James Singh and Steven Dias working around him to stretch opposition defences and create openings for the strikers, while full-backs like Surkumar Singh were also given leeway to get up the pitch and join in attack. The centre-backs Mahesh Gawli and Deepak Mondal relied on their experience of having been at East Bengal before in closing down opportunities for rival attacks, with goalkeeper Sandip Nandy, another player who had spent previous seasons playing with them for East Bengal.
Pereira's India will probably rely on similar traits -- strength in central defence, pace along the flanks, and midfielders who can run ceaselessly and contribute at both ends of the pitch for the team.
How could things pan out for India at the qualifiers?
The challenge ahead of Pereira is a substantial one. India need to top a group comprising Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan to assure themselves of a place in the U-23 Championships next year, a tournament that the Uzbeks are the reigning champions in. Tajikistan made the round of 16 at their last Asian Games appearance in Incheon in 2014, while Pakistan could be a tricky opposition with their muscular brand of football. To finish among the four best second-placed teams from 11 groups, India may need to finish with a minimum of four points, if not more, from three games.
What counts in India's favour is that they have a fair few eligible players who have international experience already under Constantine -- Anirudh Thapa, Vinit Rai and Sarthak Golui were all part of the Asian Cup squad, while Lallianzuala Chhangte, Davinder Singh, Nishu Kumar and Hitesh Sharma have also featured over the last three years.
It might not be so much about results just yet, but if Pereira gets them playing well coordinated football, striking a good balance between attack and defence, it could be a good pointer to how India's senior team could play as well.
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India U-23 to play Qatar in preparation for AFC Championship 2020 qualifiers
The Maroons won their first ever AFC Asian Cup in UAE 2019.
The Indian National U-23 team will play AFC Asian Cup champions' U-23 side in a bid to prepare for AFC Championship 2020 qualifiers, to be held in Uzbekistan from 22nd March till 26th March 2019. All India Football Federation, earlier today, announced the list of probables for the Qualifiers.
It is reported that they will undergo two preparatory camps before flying to Uzbekistan. The camps will be set up in two phases, first from 2nd to 8th & the second between 16th to 19th March ’19, and a friendly against Qatar. It is reported that they will play the friendly between on either 20th or 21st March 2019.
Should India qualify from their tough group F, they will fly to Thailand to feature in the fourth edition of the AFC U-23 Championship in January 2019.
India have hosts Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan in their qualifying group. There are 11 groups in the qualifying stage and the winner of every group gets a pass in the final tournament. Adding to that, there are four more spots for the four best 2nd placed sides from those 11 groups.
India's best finish came in 2010 when they went till the Round of 16 in China. They failed to qualify for the previous edition in Indonesia 2018. The upcoming set of fixtures will be a test for the young side, consisting of the likes of Anirudh Thapa, Lallianzuala Chhangte, with loads of experience.
Derrick Pereira will be the head coach of the U-23 Indian national football team along with Shanmugam Venkatesh as the assistant coach.
https://khelnow.com/news/article/afc-u-23-championship-2020-qualifiers-friendly-game-qatar-u-23
Sarthak (RB), G Bora , Anwar Ali , Nishu Kumar
Sahal Samad, Vinit Rai
Boris/Komal (RW) , A Thapa, Chhangte (LW)
Ashique
What India's new U-23 coach Derrick Pereira brings to the table
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has confirmed that Derrick Pereira has been appointed the coach of the Indian U-23 team, replacing national coach Stephen Constantine, who stepped down after India's exit from the AFC Asian Cup in January.
AIFF confirmed to ESPN that the appointment is only up to the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualification, which takes place in Uzbekistan in March this year. The AFC U-23 championships next year in Thailand will determine Asian qualification for the 2020 Olympics.
Here's what you need to know about Pereira and what to expect during his stint.
Who is Derrick Pereira?
Pereira was a defender at Salgaocar during his playing days, and has been coaching clubs across Indian football for the last two decades since retiring. He is currently FC Goa's technical director in the ISL and has also worked under Sergio Lobera as assistant coach and head coach of Goa's reserves during the 2017-18 season.
He shot to fame first by guiding Vasco SC of Goa to a third-place finish in the National Football League (NFL) in 2002-03, noteworthy considering it was one of the clubs that operated on the lowest budgets and relied almost entirely on local players.
He then took charge of Mahindra United during their most successful run in Indian football between 2005 and 2009, a period during which they won the Federation Cup, the NFL and also made the AFC Cup quarterfinals in 2007. In subsequent years, he took charge of Pune FC and DSK Shivajians, besides a stint with Salgaocar, and made his name for grooming young talents during his stints with each of the clubs. One of the players he groomed while at Salgaocar is Seriton Fernandes, who has made a reputation as one of the best Indian right-backs in the ISL with Goa.
What style would you expect from him?
Pereira's stints at Pune and Shivajians would suggest his U-23 team should be expected to punch above its weight, with a compact, counter-attacking style of play with emphasis on movement along the flanks.
How Mahindra United would play was a good template of how Pereira employed his philosophy with later teams too. Current national team assistant coach Shanmugham Venkatesh was the midfield enforcer, with NP Pradeep, James Singh and Steven Dias working around him to stretch opposition defences and create openings for the strikers, while full-backs like Surkumar Singh were also given leeway to get up the pitch and join in attack. The centre-backs Mahesh Gawli and Deepak Mondal relied on their experience of having been at East Bengal before in closing down opportunities for rival attacks, with goalkeeper Sandip Nandy, another player who had spent previous seasons playing with them for East Bengal.
Pereira's India will probably rely on similar traits -- strength in central defence, pace along the flanks, and midfielders who can run ceaselessly and contribute at both ends of the pitch for the team.
How could things pan out for India at the qualifiers?
The challenge ahead of Pereira is a substantial one. India need to top a group comprising Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan to assure themselves of a place in the U-23 Championships next year, a tournament that the Uzbeks are the reigning champions in. Tajikistan made the round of 16 at their last Asian Games appearance in Incheon in 2014, while Pakistan could be a tricky opposition with their muscular brand of football. To finish among the four best second-placed teams from 11 groups, India may need to finish with a minimum of four points, if not more, from three games.
What counts in India's favour is that they have a fair few eligible players who have international experience already under Constantine -- Anirudh Thapa, Vinit Rai and Sarthak Golui were all part of the Asian Cup squad, while Lallianzuala Chhangte, Davinder Singh, Nishu Kumar and Hitesh Sharma have also featured over the last three years.
It might not be so much about results just yet, but if Pereira gets them playing well coordinated football, striking a good balance between attack and defence, it could be a good pointer to how India's senior team could play as well.