Our aim is to qualify for the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship
The final preparatory camp ahead of the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship
Qualifiers kicked-off under National Coach Stephen Constantine at the Ambedkar
Stadium in New Delhi on Monday (June 19, 2017). 34 players have been summoned
for the Camp which will continue until July 1, 2017 before the team
departs for an exposure trip to the USA.
Sergio Lobera Rodriguez FC Goa’s new head coach
Sergio Lobera Rodriguez FC Goa’s new head coach
Besides
players playing in the Hero I-League, Constantine has also called two players
from the U-22 trials, players for which were scouted by the AIFF scouting
network led by Executive Committee member Abhishek Yadav. Yadav and his team
had selected players from inter-university championships, inter-college
tournaments, Santosh Trophy, Second Division League, Reliance Foundation Youth
Sports (RFYS) as well as the overseas scouting programme.
India are slated
to face Syria, Turkmenistan and Qatar in Group C of 2018 AFC U-18 Championship
Qualifiers which are scheduled from July 19, 2017 to July 23, 2017 in
Doha, Qatar.
“Our aim
is to qualify for the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship. The qualifiers are in a
month's time and hence, we can't just sit back and ponder over,” Constantine
maintained. “New Delhi is the ideal venue to get acclimatised to the current
weather of Qatar. Our focus was on working in the similar conditions to Qatar,”
he added.
AIFF has
also organized for an exposure Tour for the squad to the USA which Constantine
believes will “come in handy.”
“We are
scheduled to go on an exposure trip to California early next month. We'll play
three or possibly four competitive matches against some club age-group teams
and senior teams which will definitely come handy before we face Qatar, Syria
and Turkmenistan in the Qualifiers,” Constantine mentioned.
The list
of players attending the camp is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Vishal Kaith, Sukhadev Shivaji Patil,
Kamaljit Singh, Phurba Tempa Lechenpa.
Defenders: Nishu Kumar, Lalramchullova, Chinglensana
Singh Konsham, Salam Ranjan Singh, Sarthak Golui, Sairuatkima, Lalruatthara,
Nitesh Deepak Aswani, Subhasish Bose, Jerry Lalrinzuala.
Midfielders: Nikhil Chandrashekhar
Poojary, Raynier Raymond Fernandes, Isaac Vanmalsawma Chhakchhuak,
Germanpreet Singh, Vinit Rai, Mawihmingthanga, Asharudeen
Pulparamban, Saurabh Das, Enestar Malngiang, Robinson Singh
Khumukcham, Vignesh Dakshina Murthy, Chesterpoul Lyngdoh, Lallianzuala Chhangte.
Strikers: Hitesh Sharma, Daniel
Lalhlimpuia, Anto Xavier, Alen Deory, Manvir Singh, Azharuddin Mullick.
