The second innings of Stephen Constantine

7negi7negi India10890 Points
edited January 2015 in Indian Football Team
After Our worst ever time with our National Team , We hope Stephen will help us to rise again ..

Starting this Thread with Realistic Interview he gave to ESPN FC

New ‪ coach Constantine seeks to qualify for expanded 2019 Asian Cup

"There is tremendous potential for India to improve and become a real player in Asia," Constantine told ESPN FC. "A great deal has to be done, but I would like to think that we could get there as qualifying for big events is a priority."

"I think Indian football has made good steps in recent years but when you look at the current FIFA ranking of 171 that is very disappointing," Constantine said. "We were not that low 10 years ago [he took them to a best ever 109th] so there is obviously something not quite right."

"The ISL showed the world that India plays football and the growing interest," he said. "We now need to take this forward for the betterment of the national team. There has been great improvement in the technical quality of local players but we need to develop the whole package."

He is wise enough not to make any bold ambitious predictions beyond improving India's lowly FIFA ranking. But Constantine agrees that the recent progress made by Alain Perrin's Chinese side shows what is possible. "In the beginning China had many problems and were doing things for show rather than for the development," he said. "Once China realised that they needed a good, solid league, they needed consistency, and above all structure, you are now seeing success. I am not surprised by China's results as there are no secrets in football anymore."

http://www.espnfc.com/afc-asian-cup/2243/blog/post/2258088/new-india-coach-constantine-hopes-to-qualify-for-expanded-asian-cup-2019
mohammed_87hassanashindia
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Comments

  • 7negi7negi India10890 Points
    Back to India

    After 10 years, 4 national teams, a year in the English Championship and the Greek Super League not to mention several years in the Cypriot top league I will be heading over to India at the end of this month. I am really excted and looking forward to getting down to work.

    India presents a huge challenge and another opportunity for me to do what I do best build teams, I know this is going to be a tough job for a number of reasons and it is a job that I will give everything I have, as I always do. Of course things have changed over the last 10 years and while there have been some very good steps forward there is much to do going forward.The introduction of the ISL has seen Indians embrace the beautiful game like never before, it has given new impetuous and now we must all pull together and get India back on the right track.

    I must say however that it was not easy to leave Rwanda after we had done exceptionally well this past year, but after looking at everything that is happening in India and that I had the opportunity to be part of the process it was something I could not turn down.I of course would like to wish the players and the Association in Rwanda continued success and hope the climb up the FIFA rankings ladder goes on currently 68.!!

    I am due to arrive at the end of this month and am really looking forward to getting down to work. One thing I will say is this, if we are to be successful it is going to take the entire Indian football community to make it happen

    JAI HIND

    munna219777
  • ArsenalFan700ArsenalFan700 Reddit13655 Points
    I like his passion and that he wants us to qualify for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup but I don't think he has seen many I-League games yet... just wait.

    Mind you, technically, he last was India coach during the NFL era, we are now in the I-League and arguably a much better time than when he was last here so who knows.
    munna219777
  • preetampreetam 870 Points
    I know u guys have posted the info about appointment and experience but still i'm posting the same thing with different source which contains little extra like salary of Stephen is 20000$/month...
    With one sleeping giant of Asian football now very
    much awake, could the other be roused in time for the
    2019 Asian Cup?
    With China making the AFC Asian Cup knockout stages
    for the first time in more than a decade at the 2015
    tournament in Australia, India’s newly-appointed head
    coach Stephen Constantine would simply love to qualify
    for the next edition in four years’ time.
    “There is tremendous potential for India to improve and
    become a real player in Asia,” Constantine said. “A
    great deal has to be done, but I would like to think that
    we could get there as qualifying for big events is a
    priority.”
    India played in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup under
    Englishman Bob Houghton after winning the now
    defunct Challenge Cup that gave developing football
    nations a second chance. But their hopes of making it
    to the 2019 tournament have been helped by the
    expansion of the tournament from 16 to 24 teams.
    London-born Constantine is back for his second stint
    with India, having been in charge for three years
    between 2002 and 2005 when he helped them to their
    first international tournament win in 42 years at the
    2002 LG Cup in Vietnam.
    He was appointed last week after being chosen from a
    shortlist alongside ex-New Zealand and Wellington
    Phoenix head coach Ricki Herbert. Dutchman Wim
    Koevermans resigned in October after a string of
    disappointing results.
    “I think Indian football has made good steps in recent
    years but when you look at the current FIFA ranking of
    171 that is very disappointing,” Constantine said. “We
    were not that low 10 years ago [he took them to a best
    ever 109th] so there is obviously something not quite
    right.”
    In his decade away from Indian football, the 52-year-
    old has held six different coaching jobs. Three of them
    have been in charge of African national teams —
    Malawi, Sudan and, most recently, Rwanda, where he
    achieved qualification for the 2015 Africa Cup of
    Nations, only to see them disqualified because one of
    their players was deemed ineligible.
    Even so, he remains a hero in the eastern African
    nation, having lifted the Wasps to their highest ever
    FIFA ranking of 68 last December.
    He also had a season as first team coach at Millwall in
    the English second tier in 2005-2006, working with
    Chelsea legend Ray Wilkins, the manager of Jordan at
    the Asian Cup. He’s also coached two clubs in Cyprus
    — he’s of Cypriot-Greek origin — and worked in the
    Greek Super League.
    “It really has been an education that you can not get on
    any coaching course,” he said. “You learn from every
    job, take the good with the bad and use it to your
    advantage. India will be familiar in some ways yet
    completely different in others.”
    Constantine is excited by football’s increase in
    popularity thanks to the Indian Super League (ISL). The
    inaugural edition, run from October to December last
    year, attracted a total attendance over more than one-
    point-five million fans and an average crowd of 26,505.
    “The ISL showed the world that India plays football and
    the growing interest,” he said. “We now need to take
    this forward for the betterment of the national team.
    There has been great improvement in the technical
    quality of local players but we need to develop the
    whole package.”
    When India appeared in the 2011 Asian Cup in Qatar,
    they were outclassed over three group matches,
    conceding 13 goals and scoring just three.
    In 2014, they played only two international matches at
    senior level, drawing 2-2 with Bangladesh in March and
    losing 3-2 at home to Palestine in October, which led
    to Koevermans’ departure.
    In the decade that Constantine has been away, India
    have had six different coaches, including the highly
    respected Houghton — a close friend of England boss
    Roy Hodgson — who held the post for five years. By
    going back to Constantine rather than a big-name
    manager, they are taking an economical yet tried-and-
    tested approach. Sources tell ESPN FC that the All India
    Football Federation (AIFF) will pay Constantine around
    $20,000 dollars per month.
    He is wise enough not to make any bold ambitious
    predictions beyond improving India’s lowly FIFA
    ranking. But Constantine agrees that the recent
    progress made by Alain Perrin’s Chinese side shows
    what is possible.
    “In the beginning China had many problems and were
    doing things for show rather then for the development,”
    he said. “Once China realised that they needed a good,
    solid league, they needed consistency, and above all
    structure, you are now seeing success. I am not
    surprised by China’s results as there are no secrets in
    football anymore.”
    Constantine will arrive in Delhi next month and will also
    oversee the U-23 side.
    While they say it is never wise to go back to an old
    ‘love’, this much travelled Londoner is hoping that it
    will be a joyous reunion that could carry the Blue Tigers
    to Asia’s biggest stage in four years time.

    m.thehindu.com/sport/football/india-comeback-kid-constantine-dreams-of-2019/article6808618.ece/
    munna219777bida 25
  • Deb_BanDeb_Ban 9942 Points
    Key statements are: "In 2014, they played only two international matches at
    senior level, drawing 2-2 with Bangladesh in March and
    losing 3-2 at home to Palestine in October."

    and: “In the beginning China had many problems and were
    doing things for show rather then for the development,”
    he said. “Once China realised that they needed a good,
    solid league, they needed consistency, and above all
    structure, you are now seeing success. I am not
    surprised by China’s results as there are no secrets in
    football anymore.”

    munna219777reddevil87
  • dhritiman7dhritiman7 4029 Points
    Expectations from Stefan :

    1. Pick the best 15 players. Indian NT coaches ignored many inform players before. Hope he will give chance to inform players instead of sticking to players who has bad present form with good past.

    2. Watch domestic leagues / I League / ISL form the stands. Watching video of a player and watch him from stand is different.

    3. Play practice matches in India forming India A , B , C instead of going to Europe to play with 3rd / 2nd division teams. As team like Atletico De Kolkata, BFC are traveling to Spain, China our players are getting enough fill of modern infra and playing environment.

    4. Wild Expectation: Get rid of Savio, appoint Rajat Ghosh Dastidar, Debjit Ghosh as assistant coaches / team managers.

    Rajat : Has done a good job with ATK as team manager. Played under Stefan

    Debjit: Also played under Stefan.This fellow silently took Bhawanipur FC from fifth division to CFL premier division within 5 years  that means 5 promotion in 5 years. I don't know he is having a proper license or not. But as per me he will be best person to assist Stefan. I like him because he has the guts to say "It was not offside the referee should know the basic rule of offside" / " It was straight red" during commentary. After late Noel Da Lima Letao the only Indian commentator I agree with.


    footydipjithuvDeb_Banbida 25 atuljgarchakEastBengalPridereddevil87
  • munna219777munna219777 28491 Points
    Twitter message of Stephen Constantine


    StephenConstantine ‏@StephenConstan

    Will be in India Saturday morning and looking forward to getting down to business........


    jithuvdhritiman7spartabida 25 preetamreddevil87
  • preetampreetam 870 Points
    did Stephen have his official FBI account? I suggest him to have one so that fans can interact him and he too can keep hardcore Indian fans updated...he can get few ideas from fans as well or any info abt player who is constantly ignored despite being performing regularly ....
    munna219777gaffertapeashindiaarchak
  • munna219777munna219777 28491 Points
    He has official facebook, twitter. Just google his name.
  • Stephen constantine has arrived in india,now he is at fatorda stadium,watching i leage match
  • mohammed_87hassanmohammed_87hassan Sumeet Passin FC Jupiter10437 Points
    And he is with savio

    I hope he is not like Wim coming for few telecasted matches to show he is watching the league and allow savio to pick undeserving players like RAJU GAIKWAD
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