Footbal: Subhasish Bose to lead India in SAFF opener

Stephan Constantine, the Indian football team coach on Monday said that the young defender Subhasish Bose is going to lead the team in India in SAFF cup opener against Sri Lanka at the Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka.

A total seven teams will take part in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) cup, with India drawn along with Sri Lanka and Maldives in Group B. In the other group, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and hosts Bangladesh will be seen playing.

Stephan Constantine issued a statement saying, “Subhasish has been very impressive in the recent camps. In the first few days, he had to work a lot and being a fighter, he has made a strong comeback. I’m very proud of him and obviously, it’s going to be a very special moment for him.”

When asked whether the defending champions will begin as the favourites, the 55-year-old coach quashed it completely. “I have always looked to this opportunity to provide some international experience to the youngsters and that’s why we have come with an U-23 squad. Obviously, we have come to win the tournament as we have always done. We have a fair chance of getting the job done but I won’t say that we’re going to start as favourites,” he said.

Constantine further said, “The whole squad is eagerly waiting to get the ball rolling and I would like to say that every single member of the team is eagerly waiting. Everyone will be up for the games against us and it’ll be a great experience.”

When asked how the camp helped the boys to prepare for the championship, Constantine stated: “The three games in Australia have been terrific practice for us. The game against Sydney FC, that too against their first squad has been a great lesson for us. We got a few positive feedbacks from Australia and those are going to be pretty helpful for us in the coming days.”

Subhasish, who caught the imagination, thanks to his swashbuckling show off late, described that it’s a ‘dream-come-true’ moment for him.

“It’s a dream-come-true situation for me to lead the national team. I’d like to thank our coach for his trust in me and I’d give my best to make the best of my opportunity,” Subhasish Bose stated.

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