Indian men's football team head coach Khalid Jamil on Thursday urged the clubs and the All India Football Federation to find a solution that "balances club and national commitments" through "constructive dialogue" after 14 players from three Indian Super League sides delayed joining the national camp.
Jamil had named 30 probables for the preparatory camp ahead of India's crucial Asian Cup qualifying round matches against Singapore on October 9 (away) and October 14 (home). But 14 players, including Bengaluru FC skipper Sunil Chhetri, are yet to be released by their clubs, while one player is unavailable due to illness.
Three players, Brandon Fernandes, Asheer Akhtar and Farukh Choudhary, have been added, bringing the current group to 18. They have been training in Bengaluru since September 20. Jamil admitted that not having enough players, especially in defence, has affected team training. So far, only two defenders, Hmingthanmawia Ralte and Asheer Akhtar, have joined the camp.
“Our preparations are always team-oriented, not dependent on individuals. Yet, the absence of players in some positions has naturally affected training," said Jamil, who took charge as head coach last month.
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"Some players will be joining in phases, and we are working to make the best of the available resources. In the long run, I believe it is important to work together to find a solution that balances club and national commitments,” he said.
Apart from Bengaluru FC, East Bengal and Punjab FC are the other clubs who have delayed the release of their players. The 14 players were to join the camp towards the end of this month. Jamil had deliberately excluded players from Mohun Bagan SG and FC Goa, given their involvement in the AFC Champions League Two campaign. Mohun Bagan SG face Sepahan SC of Iran on September 30, while FC Goa play FC Istiklol of Tajikistan on October 1.
“With Mohun Bagan and FC Goa, the situation was clear from the beginning as they had important continental fixtures. We fully respect that and planned accordingly. Going forward, we hope to maintain similar clarity with all clubs. It is, after all, a team game, and if we have such clarity, we would know which players to plan ahead with,” said Jamil, a former India international.
Jamil had begun his stint on a positive note, guiding the team to a third-place finish at the CAFA Nations Cup in Tajikistan earlier this month in the country's maiden appearance in the tournament, which provided a valuable platform to build upon. The focus now shifts to two crucial Group C fixtures of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Final Round Qualifiers, a double-header against Singapore on October 9 (in Singapore) and October 14 (in Goa).
Underlining the importance of the upcoming two matches against Singapore, Jamil said, “We are fully aware of the significance of these two games. Positive results can give us strong momentum in our qualification campaign, while setbacks would make the path much more difficult.”
India, currently with a point from two matches (0-0 vs Bangladesh and 0-1 vs Hong Kong), are determined to improve their position in Group C, where only the top team will qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. Singapore, the group leaders, are at four points from as many matches.
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