Stephen Constantine: “We will be big once we are regular at the Asian Cup”

The Indian Football team has been on the rise in recent times, with Constantine bringing in new methods to improve the fitness of players and ringing in new strategies to outwit the opponents. India has now retained its 100th spot in the FIFA Rankings and would be hoping to make it big in the international circuit. Constantine feels that an extended and regular run in the Asian Cup is of utmost importance to India’s resurgence in the international circuit.

India made it to the top 100 last month after a gap of 21 years, but Constantine feels there is a long way to go for this youthful side, especially keeping in mind the Asian Cup and the World Cup qualifiers.

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“Some people do feel that I always make the other team look bigger than us. That’s because at the moment we are trying to establish ourselves in Asian football. Once we are perpetually qualifying to the AFC Asian Cup and to the final qualifying stages of the World Cup from Asia, we can start to think and feel we are a big team. We are not there yet but are on the right track,” Constantine said.

“I understand we have been able to raise the bar over the last two years and that’s what the intent was. However, in the larger scheme of things we have not achieved anything. After our International friendly against Nepal, we play against Kyrgyz Republic and they are a very dangerous and difficult opponent.”

Constantine has said that the main focus now is on qualifying for the 2019 Asian Cup