THE BUBBLE HAS BURST; India has failed to clear the group stage of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. What started with a glorious eruption of energy and hunger, heralding the start of a promising new era, sadly ended yesterday, in a weary and lacklustre manner, one reminiscent of a dismal past. It was supposed to have been a relatively easy road to the finish, with only a final hurdle to clear. But halfway into the final match, India looked like it had run out of fuel; the exhausted players a shell of their former selves. In place of the spirited live-wire attack and waterproof defense that had been the hallmarks of this new Indian team, there was only mindless clearing and numbed defending. The players looked mentally and physically drained, unable to string together more than two passes in succession, and clambering around their own half, clawing at the hope of a draw that would have ensured qualification. But when one is running on fumes, even the easy becomes tough and while the Blue Tigers did manage to hold on till the very end, it was surely only a matter of time before the desperate Bahrainis breached our crumbling defense. The timing and nature of the goal (a penalty), might offer consolation to some and perhaps on another day, such an incident would not have occurred; but given the circumstances of the match, a happy ending was always going to be a lucky prospect.
From the very start of the tournament, India looked fresh and vibrant. Although slow to find its feet in the matches, the team proved confident in attack, showing flair and skill, and maintained a firm backline that yielded little, earning praise from home and abroad. In the first match, a shaky first 45 minutes was followed by an unprecedented performance that saw the team demolish Thailand. Against a superior opponent in UAE, the players held their own, thwarting the attacks and scarcely affording them even half a chance. The players even went as far as pushing the opponent’s defense to its limits, a testament to the current team’s potential. However, a combination of bad luck and rare lapses in concentration led to a defeat.
But when it comes to competing on the International stage, physicality and experience often prove to be the deciding factors, and so it proved to be for the Blue Tigers. In comparison to that of its opponents, India’s preparation can be said to have been lacking. Before the Cup, UAE and Bahrain played atleast 5 friendly matches, while Thailand completed its preparations in the AFF Suzuki Cup, all against opponents of a standard that could be expected in the Asian Cup.
Meanwhile, India’s preparations started with the Intercontinental Cup (back in June), a tournament featuring reserve teams from countries that were not even featuring in the Asian Cup. After that, the Federation strangely refused to send the senior team to the 2018 SAFF Championship, missing an opportunity for good exposure. A fixture against China was perhaps the only real Asian Cup-level competition that the team faced. Even a friendly away against Jordan in November was botched up when the team was curiously split into two and sent on two different flights. When one of the flights failed to make it to the venue in time, a poorly-rested makeshift Indian team, lacking players and equipment, was made to take the field against the advice of the senior team management and players. One wonders what level this talented team would have reached had the young side been exposed and accustomed to games of high intensity, prior to the tournament.
Back at home, domestic football has entered a new and exciting era, invigorated by commercial and public interest and Indian football finally looks set on the road towards professionalism and stability. However, the absurdity of the Indian Super League and I-League continues to hamper the development of clubs, while incidences of mismanagement periodically affect the national team. And so it would seem that the AIFF, due to inability or unwillingness, has once again proved inadequate in its efforts, and has lost this chance to fully exploit the great potential that the present team offered.
But while the dream may have been broken, the moment is ripe to awaken afresh and continue the momentum; one that has been so preciously built, in large part due to the efforts of Stephen Constantine, who has now left a huge hole in light of his resignation. The AIFF has already made long strides in the development of the youth teams. Backed by the lessons learned from the mistakes of the Asian Cup, a consolidated effort for the senior team would do wonders. The future beckons for Indian Football.