Internet Desk: It couldn’t have been a better news for football fans in the country as the national football team jumped 11 places to be ranked 137th in the latest FIFA rankings. It is also the best rank the Indian football team achieved in over six years.
The win against much higher ranked Puerto Rico in a FIFA International Friendly in September has contributed to the rise in rankings.
The Indian team was placed at 148 in last month’s FIFA rankings. But an impressive show by Sunil Chhetri and his team against the Latin American opponents earned them the best ranking in recent times.
Last time the Indian team achieved a better ranking was in 2010 when they were placed on 137th position.
National coach Stephen Constantine feels it is just an indication that the team is heading towards the right direction.
“When I came over for my second stint, one of my tasks was to improve our FIFA Rankings. With the results which we have had so far, it is clear that we have succeeded,” he told www.the-aiff.com.
Constantine further added, “It’s been a total Team effort. Unless Mr. Patel (AIFF President Praful Patel) and Mr. Das (AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das) allowed me to do the things and the manner I wanted it to be done, this won’t have been possible ever.”
“But this is just the beginning of the long-term plan which we envisage for Indian Football. I am certainly not over the moon as I feel my Team can achieve much more,” stated Stephen.
India were ranked 171st when Constantine took over as National Coach for the second time in February last year and slipped to 173rd in March even before Constantine could have his first game in-charge against Nepal, which India eventually won 2-0 on aggregate.
Constantine, upon taking charge emphasized on the average age of footballers being brought down from 32 to 24.
“We have been able to reduce the average age of the team from around 32 to 24 which is very significant indeed,” he quipped.
With the AIFF academies growing stronger along with a AIFF Youth Development Set Up which includes a scouting network, one can hope for more glories in Indian football.