Game-time before qualifiers will help team sync with Igor Stimac: Sunil Chhetri

The 34-year-old says he is proud of where he is, but he never takes his place for granted; something which can be ascertained from the fact that his fitness levels are top notch.
Sunil Chhetri (File photo | AFP)
Sunil Chhetri (File photo | AFP)

NEW DELHI: Records are meant to be broken, and seasoned professional Sunil Chhetri is no stranger to breaking quite a few.

Currently, with 107 international caps, India’s top goal-scorer has the chance to go past mentor Bhaichung Bhutia’s long-standing mark when India face Curacao on Wednesday.

The 34-year-old says he is proud of where he is, but he never takes his place for granted; something which can be ascertained from the fact that his fitness levels are top notch.

“It may sound strange, but I am the fittest in my life at the moment. I know what I have to do in terms of taking risks, having the right food, and training. I’m honoured to be playing for my country. I want to enjoy this feeling for as long as possible.”

Igor Stimac is the fourth foreign coach that Chhetri has played under. And the striker has praised the directness with which the Croat has gone about his business.

“In his very first meeting, he said everyone has to earn his place. Komal Thatal and Sunil Chhetri are the same for me, he remarked. That has kept everybody on their toes.”

The King’s Cup is set to be Stimac’s first assignment with the Blue Tigers. And Chhetri says it would be unfair to judge his style of football without going through a proper run of games.

“Results will speak for themselves. All I can say is that he’s a really hard-working coach and a believer of total football. He wants a dogged defence, and the attackers to be brave and take risks. The major challenge is to try and assimilate as much he’s saying and put it into practice. Lot of us are coming back from an off-season, so fitness is an issue.”

After facing Curacao, and Thailand or Vietnam in King’s Cup, India’s next major assignment is Intercontinental Cup. In it, they’ll take on DPR Korea, Tajikistan and Syria. And then they’ll start their World Cup qualifying campaign in September.

Though Stimac has a big cushion before the qualifiers, former coach Stephen Constantine did not have such a luxury.

“I don’t think we have played so many competitive matches before qualifiers. That is the way to go about things. Hopefully, the coach and federation can organise more international friendlies. By September, I hope the team can grasp the coach’s tactics while he can zero in on the pool of players he wants to work with.”

Bhutia had once said that Indian football is in safe hands with Chhetri up front. But the Padma Shri awardee says that the team has quite a few promising youngsters who will achieve great things.

“I don’t want to put extra pressure on him by saying this but Sahal Abdul Samad is a talent. If he can remain fit and keep working hard, he will go places.”India will leave for Buriram on Sunday.

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The New Indian Express
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