Latest news with #Chhetri
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
a day ago
- General
- Business Standard
India seek inspiration from last 2 wins in another friendly vs Thailand
India will take inspiration from their last two wins and talismanic Sunil Chhetri's good form when they face Asian rivals Thailand in an international friendly football match here on Wednesday. For India, Thailand have been one of the most familiar continental rivals outside of South Asian countries. Both are among middle-rung Asian countries in the FIFA charts. From the Asian Games to the Asian Cup, from the King's Cup to the Nehru Cup, the history of India versus Thailand clashes in men's football is a long one. Since the first meeting at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, when India won 4-1, the two teams have played 26 times. India have won seven matches, while Thailand emerged victorious 12 times, and seven were draws. The previous two matches, however, were both won by India in 2019. A sensational 4-1 win at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in Abu Dhabi, before a narrow 1-0 victory to win bronze at the King's Cup on Thai soil. Chhetri, who scored the first two goals in the Asian Cup victory, reminisced about the performance that ended India's 55-year wait for a win at the continental showpiece. "That was a long time back. What I remember of the game was that the team was outstanding in that game. That's also a marker for us to know that on a good day, if we work hard, that's what we can achieve," said Chhetri in a press release issued by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). "That game was special because a lot of young people did really well. So, we are taking a lot of positivity and inspiration from the game. "At that time, Thailand were probably better than us on paper by a mile. We were underdogs in that game, and to win the game the way we did it wasn't just four goals but the way we held ourselves and dominated the game was really fantastic." The Indian team will need the 40-year-old talismanic striker's goal-scoring prowess and his inspirational leadership to notch a hat-trick of wins against the Thais. A win on Wednesday at the Thammasat Stadium will also a big confidence booster before the crucial AFC Asian Cup qualifying round match against Hong Kong on June 10 in Kowloon. While India are currently placed 127th in the FIFA Rankings, Thailand are 99th. The Thais has risen 14 places since Japanese coach Masatada Ishii took charge in December 2023 and led them to the round of 16 of the Asian Cup a month later. Though they failed to make it to third round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, 2024 was a fairly successful year for Thailand. They won the King's Cup and finished runners-up in the ASEAN Championship. The friendly against India serves as preparation for their AFC Asian Cup Final Round Qualifier against Turkmenistan. Thailand have players who ply their trade abroad like mid-fielder Jaroensak Wonggorn (Cerezo Osaka in Japanese top tier), midfielder Ekanit Panya (Ehime FC in Japanese second tier) and defender Elias Dolah (Bali United in Indonesian top tier). The notable names in the Thai squad are captain and mid-fielder Chanathip Songkrasin, who is the most experienced player with 70 caps, forward Supachai Chaided, Swedish-born defender Elias Dolah, midfielder Ben Davis, who has three goals in just six caps, and towering Italy-born defender Marco Ballini.
India Gazette
3 days ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
Know Your Opponents: India and Thailand renew rivalry in men's football
Pathum Thani [Thailand], June 1 (ANI): From the Asian Games to the Asian Cup, from the King's Cup to the Nehru Cup, the history of India versus Thailand clashes in men's football is a long one. Including the first meeting, which India won 4-1 at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, the Blue Tigers and Changsuek have played 26 times, as per the AIFF official website. The head-to-head reads seven wins for India, 12 for Thailand, and seven draws. The previous two matches, however, were both won by India in 2019. A sensational 4-1 win at the AFC Asian Cup 2019 in Abu Dhabi, before a narrow 1-0 victory to win bronze at the King's Cup on Thai soil. Sunil Chhetri, who scored the first two goals in the Asian Cup victory, reminisced about the performance that ended India's 55-year wait for a win at the continental showpiece event. 'That was a long time back. What I remember of the game was that the team was outstanding. (Anirudh) Thapa was amazing. So was Udanta (Singh Kumam). The defence was amazing. Ashique (Kuruniyan) started with me, and he was good. The whole team was really, really good in that game,' he told 'I think at that time, Thailand were probably better than us on paper by a mile. We were underdogs in that game, and to win the game the way we did -- it wasn't just four goals but the way we held ourselves and dominated the game -- was really fantastic,' said Chhetri, who became the first Indian to score at two Asian Cups in that game. The 40-year-old added that it serves as a source of motivation for the Blue Tigers as they prepare to face Thailand again in the FIFA International Friendly on June 4 at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani. 'That's also a marker for us to know that on a good day, if we work hard, that's what we can achieve. That game was special because a lot of young people did really well. So, we are taking a lot of positivity and inspiration from the game,' said Chhetri. While India are currently placed 127th in the FIFA Rankings, Thailand are 99th. The Changsuek have risen 14 places since Japanese coach Masatada Ishii took charge in December 2023 and led them to the round of 16 of the Asian Cup a month later. Except for missing out on the third round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers after finishing behind Korea Republic and China in the group, 2024 was a fairly successful year for Thailand. They won the King's Cup after beating the Philippines and Syria, and were finalists in the Asean Championship, losing 3-5 on aggregate to Vietnam. For the Changsuek, the friendly against India serves as preparation for their AFC Asian Cup Final Round Qualifier against Turkmenistan. Thailand began their campaign with a 1-0 win over Sri Lanka in March -- a game the island nation 'did not deserve to lose,' according to Manolo Marquez. Among those who ply their trade outside Thailand are midfielder Jaroensak Wonggorn (Cerezo Osaka in the Japanese top tier), midfielder Ekanit Panya (Ehime FC in the Japanese second tier) and defender Elias Dolah (Bali United in the Indonesian top tier). Domestically, BG Pathum United and Muangthong United contribute the most to the Thai squad, with five and four players each, respectively. The notable names in the Thai squad are captain and midfielder Chanathip Songkrasin, who is the most experienced player with 70 caps, forward Supachai Chaided, Swedish-born defender Elias Dolah, midfielder Ben Davis, who has three goals in just six caps, and Italy-born defender Marco Ballini, with a towering height of two metres. Indian winger Lallianzuala Chhangte shared his thoughts on Thailand, which will be a solid test before the Asian Cup Qualifier against Hong Kong. 'We played against Thailand multiple times. They are a good team, a hungry one. They like to make runs behind. They are also a team that want to play with the ball. But again, we are totally focused on ourselves. It's all about executing what we have been doing on the training pitch in the match. And if we can do it, I believe we can win these two matches (against Thailand and Hong Kong),' said the 27-year-old. (ANI)
Hans India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hans India
Chhetri recalls India's 'fantastic' 2019 AFC Asian Cup victory ahead of Thailand friendly
From the Asian Games to the Asian Cup, from the King's Cup to the Nehru Cup, the history of India versus Thailand clashes in men's football is a long one. Including the first meeting, which India won 4-1 at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, the Blue Tigers and Changsuek have played 26 times. The head-to-head reads seven wins for India, 12 for Thailand, and seven draws. The previous two matches, however, were both won by India in 2019. A sensational 4-1 win at the AFC Asian Cup 2019 in Abu Dhabi, before a narrow 1-0 victory to win bronze at the King's Cup on Thai soil. Sunil Chhetri, who scored the first two goals in the Asian Cup victory, reminisced about the performance that ended India's 55-year wait for a win at the continental showpiece event. "That was a long time back. What I remember of the game was that the team was outstanding. (Anirudh) Thapa was amazing. So was Udanta (Singh Kumam). The defence was amazing. Ashique (Kuruniyan) started with me, and he was good. The whole team was really, really good in that game," he told the AIFF's official website. "I think at that time, Thailand were probably better than us on paper by a mile. We were underdogs in that game, and to win the game the way we did — it wasn't just four goals but the way we held ourselves and dominated the game — was really fantastic," said Chhetri, who became the first Indian to score at two Asian Cups in that game. The 40-year-old added that it serves as a source of motivation for the Blue Tigers as they prepare to face Thailand again in the FIFA International Friendly on June 4 at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani. "That's also a marker for us to know that on a good day, if we work hard, that's what we can achieve. That game was special because a lot of young people did really well. So, we are taking a lot of positivity and inspiration from the game," said Chhetri. While India are currently placed 127th in the FIFA Rankings, Thailand are 99th. The Changsuek have risen 14 places since Japanese coach Masatada Ishii took charge in December 2023 and led them to the round of 16 of the Asian Cup a month later. Except for missing out on the third round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers after finishing behind Korea Republic and China in the group, 2024 was a fairly successful year for Thailand. They won the King's Cup after beating Philippines and Syria, and were finalists in the ASEAN Championship, losing 3-5 on aggregate to Vietnam. For the Changsuek, the friendly against India serves as preparation for their AFC Asian Cup Final Round Qualifier against Turkmenistan. Thailand began their campaign with a 1-0 win over Sri Lanka in March — a game the island nation 'did not deserve to lose,' according to Manolo Marquez. The notable names in the Thai squad are captain and midfielder Chanathip Songkrasin, who is the most experienced player with 70 caps, forward Supachai Chaided, Swedish-born defender Elias Dolah, midfielder Ben Davis, who has three goals in just six caps, and Italy-born defender Marco Ballini, with a towering height of two metres. Among those who ply their trade outside Thailand are midfielder Jaroensak Wonggorn (Cerezo Osaka in the Japanese top tier), midfielder Ekanit Panya (Ehime FC in the Japanese second tier) and defender Elias Dolah (Bali United in the Indonesian top tier). Domestically, BG Pathum United and Muangthong United contribute the most to the Thai squad, with five and four players each, respectively. Indian winger Lallianzuala Chhangte shared his thoughts on Thailand, which will be a solid test before the Asian Cup Qualifier against Hong Kong. "We played against Thailand multiple times. They are a good team, a hungry one. They like to make runs behind. They are also a team that want to play with the ball. But again, we are totally focused on ourselves. It's all about executing what we have been doing on the training pitch in the match. And if we can do it, I believe we can win these two matches (against Thailand and Hong Kong)," said the 27-year-old.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
28-05-2025
- Sport
- First Post
Sunil Chhetri coming out of retirement 'bad news for Indian football', says ex-India midfielder
Sunil Chhetri had reversed his international retirement less than a year after bidding the Indian team an emotional goodbye to represent the Blue Tigers in their AFC Asian Cup Qualifying match against Bangladesh in March. read more Legendary Indian forward Sunil Chhetri had bid international football goodbye in June last year, only to make a U-turn less than a year later. Reuters Less than a year after he , legendary forward Sunil Chhetri found himself answering an SOS call from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and to represent the Blue Tigers in their AFC Asian Cup qualifying game against Bangladesh in Shillong in March. It wasn't a one-off appearance against Bangladesh for Chhetri though, as the 40-year-old, who continues to play for Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League, has also been by coach Manolo Marquez. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Former India attacking midfielder Shanmugam Venkatesh, for one, isn't a fan of Chhetri having to come out of international retirement after a legendary career spanning 19 years, describing it as 'bad news for Indian football'. More from Football 'It's demotivating for all the young players' Venkatesh, who currently serves as assistant manager at iconic Kolkata club East Bengal, further revealed that he has asked a senior player to step aside in order to allow Chhetri to make his debut back in 2005, when he was captaining the Blue Tigers. 'Two decades ago, I told a senior player to hang up his boots so a young Sunil Chhetri could rise. But now Chhetri breaking his retirement to come back is bad news for Indian football. It's demotivating for all the young players. I'm not blaming Chhetri. He will play only one or two matches. But if you bring a youngster and back him now, he will give 10 years,' Venkatesh told The Times of India. Venkatesh added that the superstar's return essentially highlights the fact that Indian football does not have enough talent coming through to fill the void and cannot function without Chhetri, one of the country's greatest footballers of all time and certainly the standout player since the turn of the millennium alongside Baichung Bhutia. 'Indirectly, we are sending a message to everyone that we don't have enough players. We are seeing that a lot of grassroots programme have come and there are a lot of tournaments. Still, we are depending on the 40-year-old striker?' added Venkatesh, who has also served as assistant coach to the Indian football team in the past. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India face Thailand in an international friendly on 4 June, which will be followed by their second AFC Asian Cup Qualifier against Hong Kong on their turf on 10 June.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Chhetri's return bad news for Indian football: Venkatesh
Venkatesh Shanmugam CHENNAI: Back in 2005, as the India captain, Venkatesh Shanmugam had urged a fading senior to step aside so that an eager 20-year-old Sunil Chhetri could get his chance. It was a bold call then. And now, with Chhetri stepping back onto the international stage after 'retirement', Venkatesh voices a deep-seated disappointment. The man who once cleared the path for Chhetri is left wondering why Indian football isn't doing the same for those waiting in the wings. 'Two decades ago, I told a senior player to hang up his boots so a young Sunil Chhetri could rise,' Venkatesh, who is currently the technical director at FC Madras, told TOI. 'But now, Chhetri breaking his retirement to come back is bad news for Indian football. It's demotivating for all the young players. I'm not blaming Chhetri. He will play only one or two matches. But if you bring a youngster and back him now, he will give 10 years. 'Indirectly, we are sending a message to everyone that we don't have players. We are seeing that a lot of grassroots programme have come and there are a lot of tournaments. Still, we are depending on the 40-year-old striker?' Venkatesh, a former assistant coach of the India senior team, didn't mince words on the chaos surrounding head coach Manolo Marquez, who had a dual role while coaching FC Goa and the national team. 'We are going 20 years back,' the star midfield of his time bluntly said. 'We have done this before. We failed when Armando Colaco was coach for both Dempo and the national team (in 2011). We have to bring a permanent coach. I respect all the coaches, including Manolo. But which coach will think about Indian football and take risks for it? That's a big question.' Venkatesh, who holds an AFC Pro Licence, explained the differences between coaching a club and steering a national team and how each demands a separate mindset and level of commitment. 'Thanks to the ISL (Indian Super League), they brought a lot of attention to football in India. But when you play in the ISL, the Indian players will play only against four foreigners. When we go for international games, you have to face eleven foreigners. The temperament is completely different. You can't compare ISL and international football. Tomorrow, if you play against a team like Korea, you need solid preparation. It's true Manolo has done well as an ISL coach and that's why AIFF thought he knew Indian football well. But international football is something different,' said Venkatesh. So, what's the way forward? For Venkatesh, it starts with looking beyond the obvious. 'I feel this is high time that Indian football bosses think seriously about building a second layer. There has to be a Team 'A' and a Team 'B'. Fill Team B with young players, give them time and space to grow. The only thing that separates a star from the rest is opportunity. And when there's pressure for places in the first team, it naturally brings out the best in players,' the 46-year-old said. Venkatesh is optimistic about the current bunch of Indian players. 'I can see that the current Indian players, in terms of technique and physicality, are very strong. If you see all the players, all the positions, you can see aggression. Indian football is more aggressive now,' said Venkatesh. Venkatesh also pointed out that there is a lack of a proper bridge between youth and senior levels. 'I feel we should concentrate more on the under-21 category, then only you will get a strong core for the future. There's a big gap post the under-19 level. Players are jumping straight into the senior team without proper progression. The under-21 level is the backbone of Indian football,' he said. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
