Wasn’t happy with Federation Cup, wanted it to end: Constantine

Kolkata, May 22: Indian football coach Stephen Constantine on Friday said he was the one who was not happy with the Federation Cup format and hence had wanted it to end.

Asked at a media interaction in the city if it was he who had wanted the age-old, prestigious tournament to end, he said: "Yes, I am not happy with the format. Five games in nine days! It is ridiculous. Players need rest and recovery.

"I would have been game if it was a knock-out tournament. But you don't even have enough teams in the I-League (11 teams) to feature in a knockout."

The 52-year-old Englishman, now on his second stint with the Indian football team, said he had enjoyed a successful period coaching Rwanda in 2014-15. But he felt coaching in Africa was a different ball game altogether as most earn their livelihood from playing football.

"In Rwanda it is different, you shake a tree and footballers fall from it. Out of 10 players three make it to Europe, because that is what they do, play football for a living… You cannot expect that here in India," he said.

Speaking on the Indian Super League (ISL), the franchise based football competition that has taken the country by storm, Constantine said: "I think it is great… where else would you find Elano (Blumer), Nicolas (Anelka) training with them (Indian players)?"

"But I believe they did not help the national players much, the organisers need to look into this. I think the Indian players can learn a lot from them."

Asked why Romeo Fernandes, one of the brightest prospects of the ISL, was dropped from the list of probables for 2018 World Cup Preliminary Joint Qualification matches against Oman and Guam, Constantine said: "I have been wanting to answer this question for so long. Romeo went to Brazil to play for Atletico Paranaense and has played only 18 minutes in the last four months."

"Would you have picked him for the Indian national football team? But the tour is still open and anyone can come into the squad."

"I would want the boys to give their 100 percent. There will be no easy games," he said.