Stephen and the Media

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"Aim is to make a mark and not just qualify."
Constantine

Clubbed alongside Japan, Oman and Singapore, the initial reaction to India’s 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign is skeptical. But don’t you dare come across Stephen Constantine and his young brigade. The Cypriot and his boys are not among the chicken-hearted who get cowed down by intimidating opposition. They have proved it all along the LG Cup, England Tour, Asian Games, friendlies against Uzbekistan and more-recently the Afro-Asian Games. Bring them on, seems to be Stephen Constantine’s buzzword as ANTHONY MARCUS MERGULHAO discovered after meeting India’s much-revered National coach at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda.

First things first. Let us get one thing right, Stephen Constantine is not a magician with a magic wand, who can change the fortunes of Indian football, almost overnight. But yes, Constantine is the right man with the right credentials to be incharge of Indian football. And he is someone who goes about his task in a dignified — and sometimes Nasty manner. You’ve got to give credit to Stephen Constantine, 41, for bringing Indian football out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). And you’ve got to give him the thumbs-up for providing hope to Indian football and showing they can match the best in business (in Asia) if they get the chance to express themselves.

“Right now, Asian football can be classified into four divisions. And India is in the third rung. There is lot of work to be done,” Stephen Constantine told SPORTSWatch after monitoring a training session, at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda. Yes, these are too early days in what seems like a marathon journey towards the World Cup qualification. But, Constantine’s greatest test yet will come now as India prepare to take part in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers.

“With a bit of hard work, patience and continuity, its not going to take us a million years to reach our goal,” says Constantine. The goal that Constantine talks about, should realistically, be the 2010 World Cup. The 2010 World Cup is still at a distance. Right now, India prepares to get past Singapore, Oman and later World Cup quarter-finalists Japan, all of whom stand between India and its path to the 2006 World Cup, in Germany. Clubbed alongside Japan, Oman and Singapore, the initial reaction to India’s 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign is skeptical. Queer as it may seem to a largely cynical audience, Constantine believes Indian football has a future and a good one at that - provided the nature of organisation and attitude are changed dramatically.

“The important thing is to make a mark and not just qualify. We are in a tough group but that was expected. We need to go out there and play hard for a full ninety minutes. If a team does not give India the respect that it so rightly deserves, they are asking for trouble,” says Constantine, who is also a FIFA Instructor.

“Football is a funny game and strange things have happened. We are no lambs to be slaughtered. Expect the unexpected from us,” he adds.

The cynics will argue that coaches need to be confident, or else half the battle is lost even before the commencement of the match. But Constantine’s confidence stems from the fact that India has made steady progress and earned enough respect ever since he took over from the boring and conservative Sukhwinder Singh. India’s performances in the LG Cup (India’s first International triumph in almost 30 years), England Tour, Asian Games, friendlies against Uzbekistan have all been encouraging. The only blemish — as Constantine calls it — has been the upset at the SAFF Cup, in Bangladesh. True, biased refereeing and injury to key players contributed to India’s downfall, but
that is a different story.

The initial reactions to India’s World Cup qualifying draw has been skeptical, what with only one team qualifying from the group consisting of Asian powerhouses Japan, Oman and the famously unpredictable Singapore, to confront. In any case, with the new format in place, India were almost certain to play one of Asia’s top eight teams in the initial draw. “Japan with their impressive showing at the World Cup (they reached the quarterfinals) are clear favourites but Oman is a very strong team too. On the otherhand, the Singapore challenge cannot be discounted,” he maintains. India start their qualifying campaign on February 18 against Singapore, at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda.

"There is an urgent need for the stadium to be packed to capacity. Goans are football loving and I am sure they will come in large numbers to support the Indian team. We need to create an intimidating atmosphere, something that could take our rivals by surprise,” he muses. The Goa Football Association is working out ways to get the crowds to the stadium. Constantine suggests all school children be provided with free entry.

“We need people who support the team vociferously. Those who watch the match with their arms-folded will just not do,” disclosed Constantine. The Indian team is being put through the paces under the watchful eyes of Stephen Constantine while the goalkeepers pick the finer points of the game from Vasco Sports Club’s Brazilian goalkeeper Rogerio Ramos. Big names like Bhaichung Bhutia, Jo Paul Ancheri, Alvito D’Cunha Khalid Jamil and Tomba Singh look in fine touch and most importantly, enjoy what they are doing.

However, Dipak Mondal is carrying a niggling injury while an injured James Singh has been ruled out of the first qualifier against Singapore, on February 18. The youngsters — particularly Gouramangi Singh and Vimal Periyar (both Tata Football Academy) — are going all out to catch the eye of Constantine. “Youngsters should start looking over the shoulders of their seniors. Press the seniors hard and fight it out,” Constantine keeps telling the juniors some of whom — Freddy Mascarenhas, Gurjinder Singh — have already caught his attention. The camp is in progress at three different venues — Nehru Stadium (Fatorda), CRC Complex (Chinchinim) and Varca grounds. “I want the juniors to get the feel of the situation. The time has come for us to blood youngsters,” he says. Constantine advocates the need for more international exposure for India to regain its confidence and make a mark. Incidentally, that’s what exactly India’s rivals are doing at the moment. Oman are due to undertake a tour of the Middle-East while Singapore — nicknamed The Lions — will come across quality opposition like Norway and Iranian Olympic team in the Tiger Beer International Series. Unlike last time when all the matches were played at the Sree Kanteerva stadium (Bangalore), India will play their World Cup qualifiers at three different venues — Fatorda, Kochi, Kolkata. “I wanted Goa for the simple reason that Goans love their football and deserve a World Cup qualifier. The match in Kerala could reignite the passion for the game in a State that has historically been passionate followers and has produced outstanding footballers. Kolkata, as we all know, is a football-fanatic place and deserves the match against Japan. We have to pack all these places and make it nasty and uncomfortable for the opposition,” informs Constantine. Constantine, whose contract expires in June, 2005, says he really does not know whether he will be around to mastermind India’s next World Cup qualifying campaign. “We will cross the bridge when we get there,” he says tongue-firmly-in-cheek.

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