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AIFF Wants A Fresh Start For Women's National Team
Indian women’s national team has been dropped by FIFA from the official world rankings for being inactive for the last 18 months or so.
28-Jun-2009 10:46:23 AM
AIFF
In the
previous rankings issued earlier this year, India were ranked 50th
in the world, and 11th in Asia. The last international India played
was way back in October 2007, when they were thrashed 4-1 by Iran away at
Teheran.
However, All India Football Federation (AIFF) maintains that they believe in making a fresh start by concentrating on the junior teams. Speaking to Goal.com, the general secretary of the AIFF, Alberto Colaco said,” We failed to qualify for the Asian Cup after we lost to Iran. So there was no competition in which we could play in 2008.
“When our U-19 women's team performed very badly in the qualifiers for the AFC U-19 tournament, the (Executive) committee was very concerned about this.
“We have decided to concentrate on the youth level and start participating gradually for the senior level tournament. We hope to send a young team to participate in an international tournament for women which is being played in Bangladesh later this year.”
Colaco added that India had participated in all age group tournaments organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in the last two years.
“The camp for the India U-19 women's team will start from the 10th of July at Lucknow. We have participated in all AFC age group competitions in 2008 and 2009: U-13 and U-14 festival; AFC U-16 qualifiers; AFC U-19 qualifiers,” said Colaco.
Rahul Bali.
However, All India Football Federation (AIFF) maintains that they believe in making a fresh start by concentrating on the junior teams. Speaking to Goal.com, the general secretary of the AIFF, Alberto Colaco said,” We failed to qualify for the Asian Cup after we lost to Iran. So there was no competition in which we could play in 2008.
“When our U-19 women's team performed very badly in the qualifiers for the AFC U-19 tournament, the (Executive) committee was very concerned about this.
“We have decided to concentrate on the youth level and start participating gradually for the senior level tournament. We hope to send a young team to participate in an international tournament for women which is being played in Bangladesh later this year.”
Colaco added that India had participated in all age group tournaments organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in the last two years.
“The camp for the India U-19 women's team will start from the 10th of July at Lucknow. We have participated in all AFC age group competitions in 2008 and 2009: U-13 and U-14 festival; AFC U-16 qualifiers; AFC U-19 qualifiers,” said Colaco.
Rahul Bali.
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