Is Bob Houghton’s side losing the plot ahead of Asian Cup?

The term ‘decent performance’ has a completely new meaning when it comes to Indian football. It is not about winning — in fact, far from it. Neither is it about drawing a match. A decent performance here would mean losing by a less margin. So, India’s 9-1 thrashing at the hands of Kuwait is a ‘bad performance’, losing 5-0 to a second string UAE is an‘improvement’ whereas going down 2-0 to Iraq is ‘decent’.

While India still bask in the glory of claiming a hat-trick of international titles, Sunil Chetri’s move to Kansas City Wizards, and the qualification for the Asian Cup after more than two decades, it was about time that the truth was reflected and worked upon.

The losses against Kuwait and UAE have certainly done that. Though disastrous, pundits say it has handed Bob Houghton’s side a timely reality check. “They can learn from this and take it forward. The boys need to get their act together, regroup and be determined to perform in a better way in the coming months,” says former international Henry Menezes.

But these talks about defeats being a ‘learning’ process can hardly be of any consolation for a side that has been hammered twice in a span of five days. It surely wasn’t the ideal preparation for India in the run up to the Asian Cup, which is less than two months away now. What is frightening is the thought of playing against the likes of South Korea, Australia and Bahrain in Doha in our current state.

So at a time when everyone is losing hopes of expecting a ‘decent’ show from the Bhangra Boys at Doha, some obvious questions are cropping up. Did the nation expect too much from the team?

Are the players fit enough to represent the country? Has coach Bob Houghton lost the plot even before selecting his final squad of 23 for the continental championship?

The Indian national team has been together since the end of June as part of their ambitious plan wherein the All India Football Federation (AIFF) were to provide them with the best of facilities and training to ensure that they are in the best possible shape before the mega event in Qatar. A pool of 30 ‘experienced and best’ players from the country signed a contract with AIFF and they have been training just for the Asian Cup since then. Experts say this is where the plot was lost. “The idea certainly is good. But have they invested in the right age-group?” wonders Menezes.
The average age of this Indian side is 28, which is around three years more than usual. “They should have had a mix of youth and experience. They have invested in the already — established players, which looks like a wrong decision in hindsight,” Menezes adds.

What is of more concern is that out of these 30 players, at least seven of them are carrying niggles and talismanic skipper Baichung Bhutia and Chetri haven’t featured in the successive defeats against Iraq, Kuwait and UAE. Without Bhutia and Chetri, India have struggled to score against quality opponents. That, however, is altogether a separate worry for Houghton, and perhaps the reason why the AIFF is desperately trying to get British striker of Indian origin Michael Chopra to play for India.

But their absence can hardly be an excuse for the dismal show. Apart from the SAFF Cup in 2008, India have played eight international matches away from home under Houghton and lost all eight, a stat that will raise a few eye-brows. In those eight games, India have conceded 32 goals and scored only five. The two major tournaments they have won — Nehru Cup and AFC Challenge Cup — have been on home soil.

What should worry Houghton is that the team is hardly showing any signs of improvement. The defence is leaking goals, the midfielders have played like they never existed on field and strikers have given the opposition nothing to worry about. Even UAE coach Srecko Katenic termed India as a ‘mediocre side except for goalie Subrata Pal, who was brilliant’.

Not surprisingly, former India coach Syed Nayeemuddin blames Houghton for the current state. “Houghton gets whatever he wants — foreign tours, friendly matches, excellent facilities and yet the end result is same like what I had given to the team,” Nayeemuddin laments.

Blaming Houghton alone may not be fair. Nayeemuddin points out that by playing as many as seven international friendlies in a span of one month has resulted in player-fatigue. “We played just one friendly in 2009, till September this year. Then all of a sudden, they wake up and organise these friendlies against top class oppositions. It doesn’t work that way. We qualified for Asian Cup in 2008, they could have planned it better,” he points out.

Menezes insists the need of the hour is to inject some young blood into the team. “We need to identify the fit and unfit players and make sure the unfit players are not a part of the squad,” Menezes says.

India manager Pradeep Chowdhury believes there is no reason to panic yet. “We shouldn’t be expecting results overnight. This is a learning curve. Our team should put up decent results in the Asian Cup but the development projects should also go on. Right now, we are developing our under-16 and under-19 sides as well. You will see the results of it in five years time. As far as the senior side is concerned, we are sure to put up a decent show in Doha,” Chowdhury says.

Optimistic as ever, Houghton believes it can’t get worse for the side now. But at this juncture, these words will mean nothing if the performance on field doesn’t yield results.