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Sandesh Jhingan’s move to Croatia has opened the door for us: Chinglensana Singh

By Sanjay Jadhav 18 August 2021

New Delhi: Sandesh Jhingan and Chinglensana Singh have formed a formidable centre-back pairing for the Blue Tigers in recent matches and with the former set to join Croatian top-division side HNK Sibenik, his defensive partner Chinglensana in an AIFF TV chat on Wednesday (August 18, 2021) spoke about how Sandesh’s move has “opened the door” for him, and all other Indian players.

“What Sandesh-paji has done is amazing and it is really good for us as players. We need to look further and explore Europe and other places to improve ourselves, and the National Team. I am really happy for him. He has opened the door for us. He is a great person and partner to play alongside. He players his heart out and words are not enough to describe playing with him. We share a special bond,” Sana expressed.

“I love the mentality and energy he brings on the field, and it rubs off on everyone in the team. It has struck a chord within me as well and I am learning a lot from him.”

The 24-year-old also talked about the impact that Sandesh’s move can have on young players such as him, and how he would like to follow in his footsteps in the near future.

“Earlier it was Bhaichung-bhai, Sunil-bhai and then Gurpreet-paji, who played abroad. And now it is Sandesh-paji, who is a defender. I am 24 now and this is an eye-opener for me. I will have the privilege to learn from him as his defensive partner whenever he comes back, and what he will bring back to the national team will be huge and immense. I would like to follow in his footsteps and his move will encourage us to look beyond Indian football and reach that level.”

“I am a player who is still developing and I want to keep growing. If I get the opportunity to play abroad, I would sure like to take it. It is a dream for any player to play in Europe. The more players will go, the better it will be for the national team as well,” Chinglensana stated.

The young defender, who is currently in Kolkata as part of the ongoing senior national team training camp, spoke about the shift in the composition of the Indian side, with many youngsters now coming in and the average age of the squad going down significantly.

“The credit goes to the clubs, coaches and the national team coach for spotting young talents and giving them opportunities. The majority of players in the team are U-23, which is good for the development of Indian football. The Hero ISL is really competitive and there is a lot of competition for positions in the camp too, which makes us better.”

“It’s a very good atmosphere here. The mentality has changed with regards to our eating habits, fitness, spending our leisure time etc. We have grown and matured a lot and realize the importance of investing in ourselves. The standards are very high and everyone knows that we have the responsibility of the entire nation on us.”

Chinglensana also discussed the impact head coach Igor Stimac has had on the team during his time and what he has absorbed from the former FIFA World Cup bronze medalist.

“I have learned a lot from coach Stimac in a short time. The time we spend with the national team is limited. But the coach makes sure he interacts with all the players and makes sure all details are followed. He ensures I know what I need to improve and work upon, and I appreciate that he is open and has very good communication with the players. He makes sure we are comfortable and confident before a match by taking the pressure off us and allows us to play our natural game,” he averred.

“As a defender, you know you have to look to keep possession of the ball for your team as much as possible and avoid making clearances if you get the opportunity. It is something I have learned from him, along with other aspects like tackling and decision-making – not to dive into a tackle until you are sure, along with being a leader of the team from the back.”

(AIFF Media)

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Features

AIFF thanks Government of West Bengal for their support

By Sanjay Jadhav 18 August 2021

Kolkata: The Government of West Bengal’s Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs and Power Mr. Aroop Biswas on Tuesday (August 17) evening came over to meet and greet the Indian National Team who are currently camping in Kolkata for the forthcoming International Friendlies against Nepal in September.

The session was organised by the All India Football Federation in close coordination with the Indian Football Association, Kolkata.

“It’s my privilege to get invited along with my team to this Friendship dinner. Sports bind us together and nowadays the leadership in both AIFF and the IFA is dynamic. Everybody needs to join hands and work together for us to climb up the FIFA Rankings and get below 50,” Mr. Biswas stated.

Besides, former International cricketer Mr. Manoj Tiwary, currently the Minister of State for Affairs of Sports and Youth, Government of West Bengal; Mr. Kushal Das, General Secretary, AIFF; Mr. Subrata Dutta, Senior Vice-President, AIFF; Mr. Abhishek Yadav, Deputy General Secretary; Mr. Ajit Banerjee, President IFA; Mr. Joydeep Mukherjee, General Secretary, IFA and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

The entire Indian National Team contingent including Head Coach Igor Stimac was also present.

The AIFF General Secretary thanked “Aroop-babu for all his help.”

“As Igor told me, they are very happy with the logistics in Kolkata. Bengal is the best footballing state in the country. We had discussions about how the glory of Bengal football can be revived. Bengal can be the model state for others to replicate. I wish all the players, and look forward to the future. We have to qualify to AFC Asian Cup 2023,” Mr. Das averred.

The Indian team was floored by Mr. Biswas’ gesture of opening up the swimming pool of the VYBK for exclusive usage for the Blue Tigers. The Minister has also taken the lead in organising another friendly match with Mohammedan Sporting later next week.

Mr. Tiwary insisted that the State Government’s support for Indian Football will go on. “I firmly believe, and keep following Indian Football. We have a long way to go. I’m pretty sure everyone is putting in hard hours to keep our flag flying high. I wish everyone all the very best. It’s lovely to have you guys out here, and interact,” Mr. Tiwary maintained.

National Team Head Coach Mr. Stimac thanked the State Government for all their help. “Thank you minister for your support for Indian Football. You have been tirelessly providing everything that we wanted. This will surely help us more in achieving the results,” the Coach expressed.

(AIFF Media)

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Sandesh named AIFF Men’s Footballer of the Year, Suresh wins Emerging Player award

By Sanjay Jadhav 21 July 2021

New Delhi: Blue Tigers defender Sandesh Jhingan is the AIFF Men’s Footballer of the Year 2020-21, with midfielder Suresh Singh Wangjam being named the winner of the AIFF Men’s Emerging Footballer of the Year 2020-21 Award. Both the players were voted by the club coaches.

It is the first time that the towering central defender has received the Player of the Year award, having won the Emerging Player of the Year Award in 2014.

He shared his joy at receiving the honour, saying: “Being voted by club coaches of the Hero ISL and the Hero I-League as the AIFF Men’s Footballer of the Year 2020-21 is a huge honour for me. I take this Award as a motivation to do better, and inspire others to follow their passion for the sport. A big thank you to AIFF, my family, my team-mates, support staff and all my coaches both at the club level, and at the National level for keeping their belief in me. And a big hug to all those teachers and well- wishers who have stood by me all throughout. This Award comes with a huge responsibility – not to let anyone down.”

Sandesh made his Senior National Team debut in 2015 in Guwahati and has since gone on to make 40 appearances for the Blue Tigers, scoring four goals. He was part of the Indian sides that lifted the Hero Intercontinental Cup in 2018 and played out a memorable draw at the home of the Asian champions Qatar in 2019.

Additionally, he has captained the senior team on five occasions, the most recent being the International Friendly against Oman in Dubai in March this year. He also received the prestigious Arjuna Award from the Government of India in 2020.

20-year-old Suresh Singh Wangjam, who made his Blue Tigers debut earlier this year against Oman, becomes the latest midfielder to win the Men’s Emerging Footballer of the Year Award.

He stated: “It’s an honour for me to receive the AIFF Men’s Emerging Footballer of the Year 2020-21 Award. I am extremely glad and thankful. This Award will improve my self-belief and will motivate me to achieve further success in the future.”

A former AIFF Academy cadet, Suresh was part of the Indian side that competed at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017 and spent two seasons with the AIFF’s developmental side Indian Arrows in the Hero I-League. Known for his never-ending stamina and box-to-box play, the midfielder has notched up five senior national team caps and started all three of India’s games at the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in Doha in June.

The winners for the awards were chosen on the basis of votes from Hero Indian Super League and Hero I-League club coaches.

“Heartiest congratulations to the Awardees. I hope they will continue moving forward from strength to strength in the future and continue to inspire with their performances and achievements,” AIFF President Mr. Praful Patel said in his statement.

(AIFF Media)

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Women's National Team

Want to inspire more young girls, declares Emerging Footballer of the Year Manisha

By Sanjay Jadhav 20 July 2021

New Delhi: At just 19 years of age, Manisha Kalyan has established herself as one of the key members of the Indian Senior Women’s National Team. With her being named the AIFF Women’s Emerging Footballer of the Year 2020-21, the youngster stated that the Award inspires her to keep moving forward together and inspire the next generation of girls.

“I used to play in school and at state-level. It was only at 15 or 16 that I realised that can make my way up to the Indian National team. I want that the players who are younger than me they have the right exposure from the very start. Every player I interact with, I tell them that the future of Indian football is bright and getting this Award can serve as an inspiration for them,” she quipped.

Manisha, who has also represented India at U-17 and U-19 levels, continued: “It feels really nice to win this Award. I want to thank the AIFF for bestowing this honour upon me. I have always looked to plan my career step-by-step and winning the Emerging Player Award is something that I always wanted. I hope to keep doing better from here and keep working hard to help my team.”

The forward is honoured to share the spotlight with none other than Bala Devi, who won the AIFF Women’s Footballer of the Year 2020-21 award, and Manisha recalled how she always idolized Bala and wants to follow in her illustrious footsteps.

“When I was just starting out, my seniors in Punjab told me about Bala-di and her game. Since then, I have always wanted to meet her and share the pitch with her. I was fortunate that I even became her room partner at a camp and I was really happy about that. I have learned so much from her and hope that I can play abroad like her if the opportunity arises,” she smiled.

“I saw her play at the Nationals along with other National Team players like Aditi-di, Dalima-di, Asha-di, Sangita-di and Sanju-di, and compared my game to theirs. Accordingly, I started preparing myself as I wanted to reach that level and play for the national team.”

Manisha, who hails from Muggowal, a village in the Hoshiarpur district in Punjab, thanked her family and dear ones for their support in her journey so far.

“My parents have always been supportive of me playing football and have always encouraged me to move forward. One more key figure has been Manu-didi, my sister who lives in Delhi. She has helped me in every step of my journey and always motivated me. Everyone in my village loves football and has encouraged me throughout. When I was selected for the India camp for the first time, all of them were very happy and gave me their blessings and confidence.”

Manisha, who also won the Emerging Player award at the Hero Indian Women’s League 2019-20 and went on to win the title with Gokulam Kerala FC, expressed that her full focus now is on doing well for India at the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 in January.

“The main target for me now is preparing for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. It’s a great opportunity for all of us and everyone is worked extremely hard to get ready and give our best,” she stated.

(AIFF Media)

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Go for glory: AIFF sends best wishes to Indian contingent for Tokyo 2020 Olympics

By Sanjay Jadhav 19 July 2021

New Delhi: All India Football Federation has sent in their best wishes to the Indian Olympic contingent for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, the world’s biggest sporting extravaganza, which is all set to kick-off on July 23, 2021.

Congratulating the Indian athletes, AIFF President Mr. Praful Patel, on behalf of the footballing fraternity, said that he is confident that the “Tricolour will fly high at the grand stage.”

In his message, he averred: “On behalf of the All India Football Federation and the entire Indian football family, I would like to extend our best wishes to the Indian contingent for the Tokyo Olympics. We are sure that the hard work and efforts put in by them, especially during these challenging times, will bear fruit as we move forward together. Best of luck! Go for glory!”

AIFF General Secretary Mr. Kushal Das wished the Indian contingent for the Tokyo Games. In his message, the General Secretary stated: “The Olympic Games are the pinnacle of sporting excellence. Years of continuous dedication and perseverance have gone into this journey and we are all looking forward to seeing our athletes shine on the global stage. Sending Indian Football’s best wishes to the Indian Olympic contingent as they stand on the cusp of making history. The sky’s the limit for you!”

The football’s governing body had earlier also organised an AIFF TV chat last week with the world’s best hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, wishing the contingent “good luck.”

India are sending their largest-ever team with Indian athletes set to compete across a whopping 18 different sporting disciplines. The contingent consists of a number of seasoned campaigners coupled with many first-time Olympians as well, all of whom will be determined to make a mark at the Games.

(AIFF Media)

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Women's Football

Indian club to compete in AFC Women’s Club Championship 2021 Pilot Tournament

By Sanjay Jadhav 5 May 2021

2022 will be a landmark year for women’s football with two major international events — the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 and the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022 — set to be hosted in India.

As we build up to the mega-events and move forward together, another first-of-its-kind milestone will be achieved as an Indian club is set to feature in the AFC Women’s Club Championship 2021, a pilot tournament being implemented soon by the Asian Football Confederation.

The tournament will feature eight teams from eight different nations and will be played between October 30 to November 14, 2021. Group A (East) will consist of representative clubs from Chinese Taipei, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, while Group B (West) is set to feature a club each from India, IR Iran, Jordan and Uzbekistan wherein India are to be represented by the Hero Indian Women’s League champions.

AIFF General Secretary Mr. Kushal Das stated that the competition will provide a “huge boost” to women’s football in India.

“An Indian club playing in the AFC Women’s Club Championship is a great opportunity to boost the growth of women’s football in India. We already have two International events – the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, and the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup lined up in 2022. As a prelude to that, Indian representation in the Club Championship will further redefine women’s football in India to a large extent by capturing the imagination of all fans,” the General Secretary averred.

The AFC will also have a soft implementation of the AFC Women’s Club Licensing System in order to pr epare clubs and Member Associations, ahead of the planned AFC Women’s Champions League in 2023. The AIFF will soon begin conducting workshops regarding the same for clubs across the country.

(AIFF Media)

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AFC Champions League

Huge achievement for Indian Football, echo FC Goa stars ahead of AFC Champions League debut

By Sanjay Jadhav 11 April 2021

New Delhi: Indian Football is all set to move forward together into a new era, with FC Goa having the “special” distinction of being the first club from the country to play in the AFC Champions League Group Stage.

FC Goa and Indian National Team midfielder Brandon Fernandes feels that bringing the AFC Champions League to India is an achievement for the entire nation.

“It’s a huge achievement for the state and the country. It’s more like a national representation rather than a club or state. The entire nation will be watching us as one and so we ought to give it our all,” said Brandon.

India had earlier been granted a direct spot in the AFC Champions League Group Stage and having finished at the top of the Hero ISL table in the 2019-20 season, the Gaurs had qualified for the ACL, creating history in the process.

Owing to the ongoing pandemic situation, the Group E matches of the competition will be played in Goa this time, as the state will play host to teams like Persepolis (Iran), Al-Rayyan (Qatar), and Al-Wahda (UAE), along with FC Goa.

“It’s a very important step for us. It’s not going to be easy. We are not just representing Goa, we are representing the whole country,” said goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem, who had also represented India in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017.

“Everyone is very excited and we are looking forward to this big event. We will make sure we prepare well and give our best and try to use this opportunity in best way we can.”

Ishan Pandita, who recently made his Blue Tigers debut in the 1-1 draw against Oman in Dubai, UAE, feels that this is an opportunity to make the nation proud.

“It’s obviously a very special feeling. It’s not only Goa that we’re representing but the whole nation. It’s a great opportunity that we have to show Asia and the world that India can play good football. We’re training hard and our preparations are going well. We ready to put in some good performances and hopefully do our 1.3 billion proud,” said Pandita.

Adil Khan of FC Goa arrive during match 101 of the 7th season of the Hero Indian Super League between Bengaluru FC and FC Goa held at the Fatorda Stadium, Goa, India on the 21st February 2021 Photo by Faheem Hussain / Sportzpics for ISL

Goa’s local lad and National Team defender Adil Khan feels that it is a “pride and privilege” for the state to host such prestigious matches in such difficult times.

“It is extremely special that for the first time, India is being represented at the biggest football stage in Asia. It is a historic occasion for India, and massive pride and privilege for Goa to represent the country in the Champions League,” he said.

“We hope all football fans will back us in all our matches as we give our all, not just for Goa, but for India too.”

Midfielder Amarjit Singh Kiyam, who had captained India in the FIFA U-17 World Cup four years back, mentioned that the magnitude of the occasion is understood by everyone in the camp, as all the players and coaches look to prepare for the matches against the best in Asia.

“It’s a very special moment for Indian Football, and for FC Goa. It’s a proud moment for us to be competing in the AFC Champions League. All the players and staff have gotten together, and we are all really motivated and excited for our first match, and everyone’s working really hard to match up to the best teams from Asia,” said Amarjit.

(AIFF Media)

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