India coach slams scheduling of matches
Stephen Constantine calls on AIFF to stand up to television companies’ demands
New Delhi: India coach Stephen Constantine has told his bosses to stand up to the dominating television companies if they ever want local football to flourish in the floundering South Asian nation.
Constantine, preparing for India’s World Cup qualifier against Iran in Bangalore on Tuesday, has seen friendly matches scrapped and domestic league matches moved to hotter afternoon times by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to accommodate demands from television companies.
The English coach, in his second spell in charge, called on the AIFF to synchronise its calendar with world governing body Fifa and the television companies to give the country, ranked 156th in the world, a chance of competing internationally.
“Is it that difficult to sync your calendar? It’s not when you’ve the development of the game [as a target]. It is when you’re thinking about TV ratings,” he was quoted as saying by The Indian Express on Wednesday.
“It’s not possible that a TV station can tell us when we can start our season. But that seems to be one of the problems.”
The much-travelled London-born coach returned to take charge of India in January, having ended his first spell in 2005 and then going on to manage Malawi, Sudan and Rwanda among others.
He helped India advance through the first round of World Cup qualifiers thanks to a 2-0 success over another of his former sides, Nepal, but the second phase has started with 2-1 losses at home to Oman and away to Guam.
After the Guam defeat, Constantine hoped to be taking part in the South Asian Football Championships, but his scheduling requests fell on deaf ears.
“I had asked it to be held after the Guam game in June, when I had the players together for a couple of weeks. For reasons unknown to me, it’s December,” said Constantine, who was worried about player availability with the tournament coming on the back of the Indian Super League.
“The ISL final is on December 20. And then on 23rd you start the SAFF. So I would not be able to take players from four teams who are in the semi-final.
“I have to decide when I can start the camp. For me, it defies logic.”
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| DATE | MATCHES | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
03 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 1
Chennaiyin FC
vs
Atlético de Kolkata
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
|
04 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 2
FC Goa
vs
Delhi Dynamos FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa
|
05 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 3
FC Pune City
vs
Mumbai City FC
|
Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
|
06 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 4
Kerala Blasters FC
vs
NorthEast United FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
|
07 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 5
FC Goa
vs
Atlético de Kolkata
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa
|
08 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 6
Delhi Dynamos FC
vs
Chennaiyin FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
|
09 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 7
FC Pune City
vs
NorthEast United FC
|
Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
|
10 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 8
Kerala Blasters FC
vs
Mumbai City FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
|
11 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 9
FC Goa
vs
Chennaiyin FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa
|
13 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 10
Atlético de Kolkata
vs
Kerala Blasters FC
|
Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
|
14 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 11
FC Pune City
vs
Delhi Dynamos FC
|
Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
|
15 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 12
NorthEast United FC
vs
FC Goa
|
Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati
|
16 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 13
Mumbai City FC
vs
Chennaiyin FC
|
D.Y. Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai
|
17 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 14
FC Pune City
vs
Atlético de Kolkata
|
Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
|
18 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 15
Kerala Blasters FC
vs
Delhi Dynamos FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
|
20 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 16
NorthEast United FC
vs
Chennaiyin FC
|
Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati
|
21 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 17
Mumbai City FC
vs
Delhi Dynamos FC
|
D.Y. Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai
|
22 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 18
FC Goa
vs
Kerala Blasters FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa
|
23 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 19
NorthEast United FC
vs
Atlético de Kolkata
|
Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati
|
24 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 20
Chennaiyin FC
vs
FC Pune City
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
|
25 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 21
Mumbai City FC
vs
FC Goa
|
D.Y. Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai
|
27 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 22
FC Pune City
vs
Kerala Blasters FC
|
Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
|
28 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 23
Mumbai City FC
vs
NorthEast United FC
|
D.Y. Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai
|
29 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 24
Atlético de Kolkata
vs
Delhi Dynamos FC
|
Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
|
30 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 25
FC Goa
vs
FC Pune City
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa
|
31 Oct
19:00 IST
|
Match 26
Kerala Blasters FC
vs
Chennaiyin FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
|
01 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 27
Mumbai City FC
vs
Atlético de Kolkata
|
D.Y. Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai
|
03 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 28
Delhi Dynamos FC
vs
NorthEast United FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
|
04 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 29
Kerala Blasters FC
vs
FC Pune City
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
|
05 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 30
Chennaiyin FC
vs
FC Goa
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
|
06 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 31
Delhi Dynamos FC
vs
Mumbai City FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
|
07 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 32
Atlético de Kolkata
vs
NorthEast United FC
|
Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
|
08 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 33
FC Pune City
vs
FC Goa
|
Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
|
10 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 34
Kerala Blasters FC
vs
Atlético de Kolkata
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
|
11 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 35
Chennaiyin FC
vs
NorthEast United FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
|
13 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 36
Mumbai City FC
vs
FC Pune City
|
D.Y. Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai
|
14 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 37
Delhi Dynamos FC
vs
Atlético de Kolkata
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
|
15 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 38
NorthEast United FC
vs
Kerala Blasters FC
|
Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati
|
17 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 39
FC Goa
vs
Mumbai City FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa
|
18 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 40
Atlético de Kolkata
vs
Chennaiyin FC
|
Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
|
19 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 41
Delhi Dynamos FC
vs
FC Pune City
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
|
20 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 42
NorthEast United FC
vs
Mumbai City FC
|
Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati
|
21 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 43
Chennaiyin FC
vs
Kerala Blasters FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
|
22 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 44
Atlético de Kolkata
vs
FC Goa
|
Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
|
24 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 45
Chennaiyin FC
vs
Delhi Dynamos FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
|
25 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 46
FC Goa
vs
NorthEast United FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa
|
26 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 47
Mumbai City FC
vs
Kerala Blasters FC
|
D.Y. Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai
|
27 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 48
Atlético de Kolkata
vs
FC Pune City
|
Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
|
28 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 49
NorthEast United FC
vs
Delhi Dynamos FC
|
Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati
|
29 Nov
19:00 IST
|
Match 50
Kerala Blasters FC
vs
FC Goa
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
|
01 Dec
19:00 IST
|
Match 51
Chennaiyin FC
vs
Mumbai City FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
|
02 Dec
19:00 IST
|
Match 52
NorthEast United FC
vs
FC Pune City
|
Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati
|
03 Dec
19:00 IST
|
Match 53
Delhi Dynamos FC
vs
Kerala Blasters FC
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
|
04 Dec
19:00 IST
|
Match 54
Atlético de Kolkata
vs
Mumbai City FC
|
Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
|
05 Dec
19:00 IST
|
Match 55
FC Pune City
vs
Chennaiyin FC
|
Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
|
06 Dec
19:00 IST
|
Match 56
Delhi Dynamos FC
vs
FC Goa
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
|
11 Dec
19:00 IST
|
Semi-Final 1 (1st Leg)
TBD
vs
TBD
| |
12 Dec
19:00 IST
|
Semi-Final 2 (1st Leg)
TBD
vs
TBD
| |
15 Dec
19:00 IST
|
Semi-Final 1 (2nd Leg)
TBD
vs
TBD
| |
16 Dec
19:00 IST
|
Semi-Final 2 (2nd Leg)
TBD
vs
TBD
| |
20 Dec
19:00 IST
|
Final
TBD
vs
TBD
|
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