Three excellent weeks for Indian football, and multiple key decisions taken at the AIFF Annual General meeting in Bengaluru. The man in the hot seat is Kalyan Chaubey. Is India over-hyping the SAFF Championship victory, or can Indian football now take advantage and do even better in the Asian Cup in Doha next January? As a former goalkeeper, how does he describe Gurpreet Sandhu’s save? And finally, how does he see Igor Stimac’s request for more time with the team ahead of the Asian Cup?
Kalyan Chaubey answered all these questions.
Boria: How important is this win for India? Are we overdoing it, or is this well and truly a moment that can change things for the better?
Kalyan: It is a very good win against a very good team. Indian football is in good shape, and the results are evidence. We have won three trophies in the last few months and, more importantly, played quality football. Look at the fitness levels of the team. Both in the semi-final and final, we played 120 minutes. The opponents were tired and were trying to slow the game down. Our players were still ready to push. That’s what this team is about, and that’s what is a change for the better.
Boria: A word on Gurpreet’s save?
Kalyan: As a former goalkeeper, I can tell you it was a fantastic save. The timing of the dive, the anticipation, everything was perfect. And when you add the pressure, you will know how difficult it must have been for Gurpreet. When Udanta stepped up to take the shot, the entire crowd was shouting “Udanta! Udanta!” and you could see Sunil and Sandesh trying to calm the crowd. When Udanta missed, the entire pressure fell on Gurpreet. To save that penalty under pressure and win it for India was really special.
Boria: And Sunil!
Kalyan: Each time I see Sunil, I tell him he has been commendable. For 20 years now, he has been playing at the highest level with the same intensity. It is never easy to sustain the same passion and commitment. And look at his fitness. He can still play 120 minutes without slowing down, and that’s just marvellous. He is a fantastic leader, and I was very pleased he was awarded the golden boot and golden ball as the best player and highest scorer in the tournament.
Boria: Igor Stimac wants a little more time with the team ahead of the Asian Cup. The players will all have their club engagements. How do you balance things and ensure we are the best prepared?
Kalyan: I had a chat with Igor after the match, and he mentioned the same to me. I have told him that FIFA has certain rules, and there are some windows which are part of the FIFA calendar. There are designated dates which you can use for national camps. As a FIFA affiliate, we have to abide by these dates. While working within the rules, we will do our best to maximise the time for national camps. I have also promised him that unlike in the past, when Indian teams would play no more than 20 or so matches a year, we will now use every FIFA window to organise matches for the national team. The more you play, the better you will get. And the idea is to play better and higher-ranked teams so that you can keep getting better.
Boria: It could well be that we are back in two digits in the next FIFA rankings. That must give you a lot of satisfaction?
Kalyan: When we took over nine months back, we were ranked 106. So we have gained six spots, and are back in the top 100. The idea is to keep getting better, and the signs are we will be able to do so. Steps are all being taken to ensure it happens. That’s why the plan is to play the maximum number of matches during the FIFA windows. That’s how rankings are decided. If we do well in these games, our ranking will surely improve.
Boria: The AIFF has decided to revive the Federation Cup, and has also added five new teams to the I-League. Tell me a little about the plans ahead.
Kalyan: The most important thing is interest from new corporates. In the last few years, many corporates have shut down their football teams. JCT, Mahindra etc. And that was a big blow for Indian football. We now have five new corporates joining us for the next I-League season, and that’s a big plus. We need more involvement from corporates for the sport to develop. Yes, we will be doing the Federation Cup and, as you have seen, are firmly on course to implementing Vision 2047. While we won’t be there in 2047, the idea is to do things in phases so that the work continues uninterrupted.
Boria: Finally, this victory must have given you hope. The fans, 26,380 people at the ground, were brilliant.
Kalyan: Indeed they were. That’s why you play the sport. For these men and women. Everyone, from the Honourable Prime Minister, has congratulated the team. It is indeed a moment of satisfaction, and one which should help strengthen our resolve to get better.
