GUWAHATI, March 4 � The re-appointed India football team coach Stephen Constantine believes that the Indian team has to do very hard work in order to show good result in the forthcoming Pre-World Cup football matches against neighbouring nation Nepal.
India will play their home match on March 12 at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here while the return match at Kathmandu is scheduled for March 17.
Addressing a press conference here today, Constantine, who was the head coach of the Indian team from 2002 to 2005, said he got very less time to prepare the team and at present lots of things have to be completed within a short span of time. He is however hopeful of a positive result as the winning team will advance to the next stage of the qualifying round for the 2018 Russia World Cup.
Constantine revealed that the present infrastructure of India is much improved in comparison to 2005. The organisers are also working hard. But, he revealed, all the State associations have to start leagues for U-17 and U-19 players which will help in spotting and producing new talents.
The Indian team coach, however, did not prefer to explain about the strength of both the teams for strategic reason. But he said that the Indian team players have to improve their physical fitness to counter the opponents.
The training of the Indian team will start from tomorrow at the Sarusajai stadium.
The Assam Football Association (AFA) secretary Ankur Dutta revealed that match tickets will be available from tomorrow at different counters like AFA office, match venue etc. The rates will be of Rs 100, Rs 200 and Rs 300. Cine actors Utpal Das and Amrita Gogoi unveiled the tickets during the press conference.
AFA president Hemendra Nath Brahma and treasurer Dhonsing Rongpi were also present in the press conference.
