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The India Under-16 colts have won all the three matches en route to the final of the Under-16 SAFF Championship.
No wonder head coach Goutam Ghosh is a happy man. “From the first match against Sri Lanka where we stuck to our philosophy of passing football to win 4-1 to the tie-breaker against Afghanistan in the semifinal, the boys have shown that they are maturing with every game,” he maintained.
“Keeping calm in pressure-cooker situations like the one in the semifinal, is also part of their learning process. This makes them strong mentally. We missed the first penalty and were on the backfoot right away. The way these boys soaked in the pressure and kept their nerves is laudable indeed,” Ghosh pointed out.
The India Under-16 Colts in blue, who are being represented by AIFF Regional Academy’s U-15 boys, have gone from strength to strength.
What should please not only head coach Goutam Ghosh but also the AIFF Technical Director Robert Baan and Technical Director, Academies and Director of Coach Education, Scott O’Donell, is that all of it has been from the development point of view.
From sticking to the philosophy of passing football to working on the mistakes committed on the pitch, the learning curve has been going in the right direction.
Against the hosts, who mauled Bangladesh 5-1 on their way to the summit clash, Ghosh is looking to make the most of “another match for his future-stars”.
“The final gives me another opportunity to rectify the mistakes we made in the last match. As I have maintained, football is a game where you learn everyday. I am looking forward to the match as it gives me the chance to judge a lot of aspects,” the young coach said.
“The pressure of a final is never easy. As a footballer, you need a lot of courage and mental strength to be able to take the field in a title clash. These 15-year-old boys have shown in the semifinal that they are maturing. This will be another test of their nerves,” Ghosh pronounced further.
The kick-off against Nepal at the Dashrath Stadium in Kathmandu on Tuesday, July 30 is at 4PM Nepal time (3.45pm IST).
