The dust has settled on India’s remarkable bronze finish at the CAFA Nations Cup, and Dronacharya awardee coach Armando Colaco wants the team to build on that success ahead of the remaining AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. Come October, India face Singapore twice — first away at the National Stadium on 9 October before returning to Goa for the second leg on 14 October.
Currently bottom of Group C with one point from two games, India must then travel to Dhaka to play Bangladesh on 18 October and host Hong Kong on 31 March 2026. “The task is cut out for Khalid Jamil’s men,” Colaco said, but he remains upbeat.
There is no doubt that Sunil’s leadership skills and ability to find the back of the net will be required in the upcoming matches. Now that they have achieved a podium finish after so long, there will be more expectations. The pressure will be tremendous as the team has to win all matches to stay alive — only the group topper advances.
The decision to coax Chhetri out of retirement by Khalid’s predecessor, Manolo Marquez, had met with cynicism, while the 40-year-old struggled in the early qualifiers.
It’s up to the coach to decide on his fitness and the match situation. Getting goals remains a problem for this team. India found their goals from defenders like Sandesh Jhingan and Anwar Ali in set pieces in the first game in Sohor. A moment of brilliance from Sunil — even if not for the full 90 minutes — can make the difference.
A Coach With Pedigree
Colaco himself has been a trailblazer, having coached East Bengal, Dempo and the national team. As India coach in 2010–11, he oversaw notable results, including a 2–1 win over Qatar in Doha and a 2–2 draw against the UAE in a World Cup qualifier.
Earlier this year, he became only the third Indian football coach to receive the Dronacharya Award, following Syed Nayeemuddin and Bimal Ghosh. He has consistently rallied for Indian coaches in top jobs.
It was actually a collective decision of the technical committee to appoint Khalid Jamil, but yes, we pushed for an Indian coach. It was high time we gave a deserving Indian candidate a chance.
Foreign Vs Indian Coaches
Colaco clarified he is not against foreign coaches: “Some, like Bob Houghton and Stephen Constantine, produced good results. Under Constantine, India impressed in the 2019 Asian Cup and World Cup qualifiers. But an Indian coach knows the psyche and abilities of our local players best.”
Room For Optimism
Having witnessed many false dawns in Indian football, Colaco cautioned against over-celebration but highlighted reasons to be optimistic.
It’s not about the senior men’s team alone. The U-23 boys under Naushad Moosa were heartening to watch. The women’s teams, both senior and junior, have also qualified for the next AFC Asian Cup finals. It’s fashionable to criticise Indian football, but competition is global and tough. Let’s celebrate the good work too.
Probables For Asian Cup: Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Gurmeet Singh Defenders: Anwar Ali, Rahul Bheke, Chinglensana Singh, Roshan Singh, Ricky Haobam, Pramveer, Muhammed Uvais, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Bikash Yumnam Midfielders: Suresh Singh Wangjam, Jeakson Singh, Vibin Mohanan, Ashique Kuruniyan, Mahesh Singh, Danish Farooq, Mohammed Aimen, Nikhil Prabhu, Macarton Louis Nickson, Jithin MS. Forwards: Sunil Chhetri, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Manvir Singh Jr, Parthib Gogoi, Vikram Partap Singh, Muhammed Suhail, Mohammed Sanan K, Irfan Yadwad.
