After a season full of underachieving, Air India appear to be getting it right when it matters the most. Just when it looked like relegation was inevitable for them, six crucial points from last two matches has helped them leapfrog to 11th on the table, giving them some breathing space.
The results give Air India some solace considering the precarious off-the-field situations they have been involved in. Coach Santosh Kashyap had nearly a dozen players injured before the break, which kept them from taking part in the Mumbai League.
Consequently, they were axed from the league by Mumbai District Football Association, ensuring the title went to Air India’s city rivals Mumbai FC.
No sooner than they could revive from that setback, Air India were nearly axed from next edition’s I-League as well. Thanks to the intervention by AIFF president Praful Patel, they were given one year extension to get their house in order.
“There were many distractions but we tried to focus on the game,” admits Kashyap. “In fact, the mid-season break worked for us as our injured players got the much-needed time for recovery. When I took charge of the team, I hardly got any time to work with the team because of the packed schedule.
“That time, the fitness level of the team was low. We lost the matches in the last 20 minutes. So, the first thing I worked on was the endurance level of the team,” added Kashyap, who took over the responsibility to guide Air India to safety from Yusuf Ansari, who is now the goalkeeping coach.
Upon taking charge, Kashyap said his first priority was to get the team composition right. “For example, I tried playing Napoleon Singh — who is originally a right back — as a right half and that experiment is paying off quite well. Same is the case with Manjeet Singh, who is doing very well up front,” Kashyap said, stressing that the key to recent results has been the possession-oriented game his side has been playing.
Kashyap believes the win against league leaders Salgaocar a couple of weeks ago has been the turning point of their season. “That result has given us the confidence that we can beat the best. We are facing some very tough opponents in our last four matches, so that win has been a morale booster for us.”
Air India next face title contenders Churchill Brothers, and with Mohun Bagan, JCT and Dempo as their last three opponents, Kashyap has his work cut out. “It will be a challenge but we are confident to rise to the occasion.”
