×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Invest in these boys, says De Matos

Last Updated 13 October 2017, 19:35 IST

Coach Luis Norton de Matos laid bare a few brutal facts after India wound up their World Cup debut with a 0-4 defeat to Ghana. The Portuguese was realistic in his assessment of his boys but strongly advocated that the national federation should invest in them.

India scored one goal and conceded nine in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, but de Matos hit back by saying: “I would really like to watch the first Indian team play against some of these teams in an official competition. A lot of gap exists between these teams. I can only make an omelette from the eggs that I have,” he said.

“They have conceded goals, some stupid ones. If the games were against Maldives or Nepal or Bhutan, the story would have been different. This is the top level. We are the only team in the competition who have made it without qualification. I’m very proud of the behaviour of the team. I’m sure you will remember my words – this is a fantastic generation,” de Matos said.

“We played against Mauritius in Goa and they didn’t have a single shot at our goal. It shows we can beat teams which India under-16, India under-18 and even the senior team have difficulty to beat. We need to invest in these boys and give hope to the country.”

De Matos conceded India was out of breath against Ghana. “We knew we cannot have the ball. They had players with a lot of good skills. We need to know the reality. I knew we would suffer a lot in the third game. When I came to India, I was told that one point (from a draw) is enough. We were very close to doing it against Colombia. We had our chances in the first two games.

“When you are completely tired, your brain stops to function. We lost the ball in certain zones where we didn’t in the other two games. Ghana can play eight games in three days and they won’t have a problem. We had no chance.”

Asked why India did not start with two strikers, Matos pointed out, among other things, the boys’ difficulty in controlling the ball with one touch. He reiterated that at least 10 years of work was required to raise a player to that level. “Perhaps, the score would have been 7-0 or, 8-0. This is the reason (for not starting with two strikers). We cannot give them space. We played with Aniket (Jadhav) and Rahim (Ali) later in the game and Aniket couldn’t touch the ball,” he said. “I know the limitations of my team. If I have two or three players of Ghana, then we can play in an organised way with some counterattack. Watch the technical difference -- we find it difficult to control the ball with one touch when the ball is sent forward. It is 10 years’ work.  I can only make an omelette from the eggs that I have.”

De Matos said even the I-League or the Indian Super League can’t match the intensity of the under-17 World Cup. “The players are intelligent but the progress is slow. Now they will play in the I-League and get stronger. The Under-17 World Cup is a stronger competition than the I-League. When ISL teams go to Europe, they lose to fourth division teams in Spain. Let these boys play 18 games in the I-League and get stronger.”

Asked if would continue with the team as they prepare for the I-League, Matos said: “I had two meetings, I would like to but it’s not official. There is a good possibility (that I might stay).”

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 13 October 2017, 19:35 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT