|
|
Indian National Team: The Opponents For Friendly Matches Not Yet Confirmed
Who are we playing...
19-Aug-2010 5:06:00 AM
By Rahul Bali
The Indian national team are to play a total of nine friendlies in the months of September-October but the names of the teams are yet to be confirmed with less than a month to go.
It is believed that Indian national team coach Bob Houghton is keen on playing Asian nations during that period and those who are placed higher than the 138 ranked nation.
According to the latest FIFA Rankings, there are 23 nations who are above India in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) of which they wouldn’t play against Australia, South Korea and Bahrain who are placed in the same group as that of India in the 2011 Asian Cup.
Nine countries from West Asia, namely Iran, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, Iraq, Yemen and Palestine are to participate in the West Asian Football Federation Championship which is to be held from September 24-October 3 in Jordan.
Japan and Saudi Arabia are out of question as they are too strong an opponent to face at this stage of the preparation.
The option of China is unthinkable for now given that their league will be in progress and they have friendlies lined-up for themselves against Iran, Paraguay and Syria in the next two months.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) have a friendly against Kuwait in September and their league shall kick-off as well. Uzbekistan have only one friendly confirmed as of today which is against Estonia
India are set to play two friendlies against Thailand and one against Korea DPR in the month of September. For the next three matches, the only teams that seem to be available due to the above mentioned reasons are Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Turkmenistan.
The English coach isn’t too keen on playing Turkmenistan whom India had earlier defeated 2-1 in the AFC Challenge Cup 2008 while Hong Kong wouldn't be a first choice opponent given that a friendly was played between the two nations in 2009 where India went down by a 2-1 margin.
However according to FIFA matchday calendar, India are to play two friendlies against Turkmenistan on September 22 and 25!
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) did manage to rope in Gambia and Namibia who are ranked 103 and 115 respectively but their participation hasn’t been given the go-ahead by Houghton as yet.
It is likely that instead of the three friendlies which were to be played in Pune only two shall be held and a few nations have given their verbal assurance though no official agreement has been entered into.
Interestingly, India’s opponents are set to play decent oppositions in the next two months with South Korea facing Iran and Japan whereas Bahrain to play Qatar, Jordan and Iran.
Australia are playing against top notch nations such as Switzerland, Poland and Paraguay.
One hopes that the friendlies are confirmed as soon as possible as it doesn't send a positive message to the sponsors of the Indian national team who had mentioned that the team must play six friendlies in the country as part of the deal they had inked at the start of this year.
It is believed that Indian national team coach Bob Houghton is keen on playing Asian nations during that period and those who are placed higher than the 138 ranked nation.
According to the latest FIFA Rankings, there are 23 nations who are above India in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) of which they wouldn’t play against Australia, South Korea and Bahrain who are placed in the same group as that of India in the 2011 Asian Cup.
Nine countries from West Asia, namely Iran, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, Iraq, Yemen and Palestine are to participate in the West Asian Football Federation Championship which is to be held from September 24-October 3 in Jordan.
Japan and Saudi Arabia are out of question as they are too strong an opponent to face at this stage of the preparation.
The option of China is unthinkable for now given that their league will be in progress and they have friendlies lined-up for themselves against Iran, Paraguay and Syria in the next two months.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) have a friendly against Kuwait in September and their league shall kick-off as well. Uzbekistan have only one friendly confirmed as of today which is against Estonia
India are set to play two friendlies against Thailand and one against Korea DPR in the month of September. For the next three matches, the only teams that seem to be available due to the above mentioned reasons are Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Turkmenistan.
The English coach isn’t too keen on playing Turkmenistan whom India had earlier defeated 2-1 in the AFC Challenge Cup 2008 while Hong Kong wouldn't be a first choice opponent given that a friendly was played between the two nations in 2009 where India went down by a 2-1 margin.
However according to FIFA matchday calendar, India are to play two friendlies against Turkmenistan on September 22 and 25!
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) did manage to rope in Gambia and Namibia who are ranked 103 and 115 respectively but their participation hasn’t been given the go-ahead by Houghton as yet.
It is likely that instead of the three friendlies which were to be played in Pune only two shall be held and a few nations have given their verbal assurance though no official agreement has been entered into.
Interestingly, India’s opponents are set to play decent oppositions in the next two months with South Korea facing Iran and Japan whereas Bahrain to play Qatar, Jordan and Iran.
Australia are playing against top notch nations such as Switzerland, Poland and Paraguay.
One hopes that the friendlies are confirmed as soon as possible as it doesn't send a positive message to the sponsors of the Indian national team who had mentioned that the team must play six friendlies in the country as part of the deal they had inked at the start of this year.
Our 
provides the best breaking news online and our 
football fan community is unmatched worldwide. Never miss a thing again!
provides the best breaking news online and our football fan community is unmatched worldwide. Never miss a thing again!Inside Goal.Com
-
Vote for your Goal.com World Player of the Week
Have your say on who you think should win Goal.com's weekly honour
-
Euro 2012 a timely respite for depressed Spain
With 24 per cent unemployment, wage cuts and little hope for improvement in the short term, the continental competition will at least take people's minds off their sad situation
-
Welbeck impresses but it's a bad day for Johnson
Ashley Young has also all but secured his place in the starting line up against France while Steven Gerrard put a good shift in. Here's how the Belgium friendly affected the England player's chances of featuring in Euro 2012
-
Five players Rodgers could sign for Liverpool
The new Reds boss was unveiled to the press on Friday and must immediately begin work on revitalising a thin squad with some additions in the transfer market
-
Lambert the latest in EPL manager merry-go-round
The Scot officially left Norwich City on Saturday to become the second new boss in June, following the appointment of Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool on Friday