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Updated November 14th, 2018 at 22:08 IST

Split Wide Open: Coach vs Captain in Indian Football; Coach hints at Chhetri less Indian team in near future

Republic TV asked Indian football team coach Stephen Constantine about whether he was aware of the rebellion within and that five senior players went up to the AIFF to complaint against him

Reported by: Suman Ray
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How weird yet ironical is it to achieve an unprecedented international success minus a "happy" dressing room atmosphere is best exemplified by the hands-on approach of Indian football team coach Stephen Constantine.

And the fact is that despite a rebellious attempt to overthrow the hegemony of the "super coach" by senior players led by captain Sunil Chhetri, Constantine has not only managed to survive but also deliver at the highest level & firmly legitimizing himself.

And now perhaps its a payback time for Chhetri & company as the coach clearly spelt out his vision and blueprint for Team India at a media interaction in the national capital on Wednesday, November 14.

WATCH: Sunil Chhetri's Witty Award Acceptance Speech Will Crack You Up

"Sunil is 36 and he can't play till eternity. So we need to look at the future when Sunil will not be available. We should be prepared for that. And why not prepare ourselves from now itself. That's the reason why I am rotating the captains. At present Sunil is injured and that's why he is not available. Do I need him? Yes, I do. But will he be always available? No, he won't. Senior players will have to give way for youngsters. Is it not true everywhere?" Constantine counter-questioned the inquisitive media persons.

The Indian coach made it clear that he simply didn't care if the senior players were happy with him or not. "As long as the Indian team is winning I really don't care who is happy who is not. If the senior players are not happy with me as per reports, so be it. My job is to get you the result which I have."

India has won a record straight 17 internationals and currently at 97 in FIFA rankings, the second best in the history of Indian football.

READ: 'Team Goals Matter, Not Personal Goals', Says Sunil Chhetri Ahead Of India's Historic Friendly Fixture Against China

When Republic TV asked the coach, whether he was aware of the rebellion within and that five senior players went up to the AIFF to complaint against him recently, the Coach chose to take an evasive answer. "If such things are happening then how is the team doing so well? I am not bothered by these reports. And I am focussing on India's performances in international matches, with or without some of the players you mentioned," he quipped.

Call him Greg Chappell of Indian football or a man on a mission of his own, without caring much about past reputation and star value of players,  Constantine is the man firmly in control of Indian football taking it forward with an iron hand.

But the biggest question before him & the AIFF is: has he developed a bench strength and strikers who can possibly replace the likes of Chhetri -- India's most prolific and arguably the best ever striker?

And we don't have to wait very long as a Chhetri-less & Constantine-controlled India will take on Jordon in their first ever international friendly in  Amman on Saturday, November 17. 

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Published November 14th, 2018 at 21:58 IST

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