It was a hard training day for the team, and perhaps not the best time to request Sunil Chhetri for a chat. And yet, he was warm as always. “We will be out training till 8.30pm or so,” was his message to me from Bhubaneshwar, where the team was camping ahead of the Kuwait game. “Come and message and we will catch up for sure.”
I managed to reach the hotel by 8pm that evening, and dropped Sunil a line informing him that I was there.
In 30 mins came the response. “We are still in training,” it said, before he added: “Will message you once we are back.” And then, around 9:15pm, he asked if I wanted to speak to him then or if we could have breakfast together the following morning. Breakfast was a better option as Sunil would be fresh. So we fixed it for 8am over some good morning fare. And as always, Sunil was there at 7:55am sharp for the interview. Looking lean and fit, he was calm and composed while exuding a sense of confidence. As we sat down to speak, he seemed to have come to terms with the retirement announcement, and was now ready to step out as India’s captain one final time –
against Kuwait on June 6, in what is a hugely important match in India’s football history.
The conversation was long and detailed. Here are some excerpts:
Boria: You look fit and ready and you are injury-free. Your colleagues like Sandesh and Gurpreet tell me you can still outrun younger colleagues. Then, why?
Chhetri: Thanks for the kind words, and truth be told, I was also restless for a few days after making the announcement. Thoughts did come to my mind as well. Is it the right time for the call and did I do the right thing? But with time, I can tell you one thing – I am completely at peace with the call. It is the right thing for me and for Indian football, and I am now fully in sync with the decision. It has helped because it has given me some much-needed mental peace and I am now fully focussed on the game at hand, which is a very important game for us all.
Boria: Very true. But your retirement has added a lot more to the game as well. The outpouring of emotions from fans stand testimony to what you mean to them.
Chhetri: Let me answer the second part first. I have always said to you that I consider myself privileged. For all the love and affection that I get, I have always felt blessed. But the last few days have been surreal. I am getting emotional as I say this to you, and will have tears in my eyes if I start talking in detail. But some of the messages on social media and some of the videos that I have seen mean the world to me. Why else do you play sport but for this love and respect? The kind of love and affection that has come my way has been well and truly special.
As far as my retirement making the game special – let me say I am pleased if it has. But, honestly, it was never needed. We are playing one of the most important games for India. If we win the tie against Kuwait, we will make it to the third round of the World Cup Qualifiers for the first ever time in our history. We will be playing the game at Salt Lake stadium in front of a raucous 70k fans who will all be cheering for us. The stakes couldn’t be higher. So, you don’t need any extra motivation, to be honest. But if it still serves to push the boys a bit more and gets us the desired result, I am happy.
Boria: I was speaking to Sandesh Jhingan and he said he still can’t come to terms with the fact that his leader is going to retire after a game in which he isn’t playing. That he will not be on the pitch for you and for the country is hurting him.
Chhetri: I have said this to you in the past, and let me say this again – if I have to go to war with someone, and have to get someone to play for my life, it is Sandesh Jhingan. He plays with all heart, and in matches like these, it is impossible not to miss Sandesh. And yes, we spoke about it and he was very emotional. I consider him a very close friend, and will always have some fantastic memories of the time we have spent together. For this particular game, I really hope someone else uses the opportunity and steps up for Sandesh and India, for that’s what all of us want to see.
Boria: How did you arrive at the retirement decision and tell me a little about the timing?
Chhetri: It couldn’t have been better timed, you see. We are playing one of the biggest games of our careers with a third round World Cup [qualifying] spot on the line. If we are able to win, it will give us 10 games against the best of Asia, and has the ability to change our football. Also, the match is being played at the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata, where you know there will be fans from the country over and it will be a packed house. So what more could I have wanted as a player? You will have your own supporting you, and your own fans rooting for you in one of the most important games you can be a part of. I don’t think I could have timed it better.
I thought about it a couple of months back and had informed the coach about it. And the truth is I did have self-doubt till a couple of days after the announcement. Thereafter, like I said, I am completely at peace with the call and am convinced it is the right call for me and for Indian football.
Boria: When you look back at what has been a stellar career, do you have any regrets? I mean, do you think you could have gone to Europe early on in your career and could that have made a difference?
Chhetri: It is something I have often thought about, and the truth is had I got the opportunity to go to Europe at 15 or 16, things could have been different. And in such a scenario, I don’t think I would have come back to India. But now, if you ask me if I will trade my career for anything else, the answer will be NO. I absolutely won’t. The kind of love and respect I have received from fans in India in all the 19 years that I have played for the country is not something I will trade for anything. I am deeply fulfilled and it is a very good space to be in. So, in all honesty, I have no regrets whatsoever.
Boria: You have often said you want the change room to be a better place when you leave. Each generation has to pass on a stronger and better change room. The culture has to get better and excellence is always the end goal.
Chhetri: If I think back to the time I entered the dressing room, I have to tell you that things have changed. The players are much more conscious of their diet, of the importance of sports science, of nutrition and mental health. These are important changes if you have to bring in a culture of excellence.
Boria: I am glad that you have mentioned diet. Your comment, “I don’t eat what I like but rather I eat what I need”, has stayed with me. Not that I follow it all the time, but it is something that defines you. The discipline. Can you elaborate on this philosophy a little more?
Chhetri: Years earlier, I had realised that if I have to play on for a long time frame, I need to take care of my diet. It was all about self-discipline. I wanted to achieve something, and as an elite high-performance sportsperson who wants to excel, I needed to do a few things. It is no sacrifice. It is what my profession demands. In your profession, I am sure you have to focus for long hours to read and write. If you look at such things as sacrifice, things won’t work. And gradually the boys in the change room imbibed it from me. They realised it was working for them, and now everyone follows it. It is the template. Going forward, any player who comes into our change room will know that there are certain norms that have been set. They need to follow the norms and better them. That I will be leaving the change room a better place is something I take a lot of pride in.
Boria: Tell me a little about the camp. Clearly, the coach has been asking for a long camp for months now, and each time he has been given a long camp, the team has looked in better shape. How has it been so far and do you reckon we will be fully ready come the 6th of June against Kuwait?
Chhetri: Yes, we will be. I can see it in the eyes of the boys. The intensity in the camp has been fantastic to see and every player is focussed on the job at hand. We know a win is the only thing that will suffice, and I can assure you that there will be no dearth of effort. We will give it our all for the team and for the country, and hope we will get the result we are after. And if it does happen, it will be a very happy retirement for sure in front of all our fans. But coming back to the camp, things have gradually become more intense and everyone – from the coaching staff to the players – is in sync with what we want to achieve.
Boria: Now coming to the elephant in the room- who after Sunil? Have you been able to identify someone? I am sure you have been thinking about it as well.
Chhetri: Yes, it is a fair question to ask, and yes, I have been thinking about it as well. Let me tell you something very honestly – it is never about one individual. I see a lot of talent around, and while it will be difficult to replace a player who has been around for 19 years, it is also certain that Indian football will be in a better place going forward. There will come players who will take up the challenge and step into my shoes. I am absolutely convinced that we have enough and more talent for that to happen.
Boria: Fair enough. And what about you – will there be some cheat days finally? Some time with family and some downtime?
Chhetri: Yes, absolutely. The last cheat day I had was in Darjeeling when we had taken a break as a family. At breakfast, everyone had their parathas and all. But then, the chickenpox laid me low and the holiday was spoilt because of me! So this time round, there will surely be more cheat days, but more importantly, more cheat time. Spending time with family is so welcome, and I am looking forward to doing so after the 6th. We don’t often realise how tough it is for them to stay in this cocoon. They are as much part of the story, and live it with us. Without family, there is no Sunil Chhetri. And they do everything silently as if it is expected of them. I have to say I am looking forward to more family time, and yes, some cheat days for sure! But for the moment, it is all about the 6th. We need everyone to support us and cheer for us and we can assure you we will not let you down.