Kolkata: The Indian U-16 national football team has been in fine form in recent times having won the SAFF Championships, while also putting aside the Qatar national team all in the space of two months. Having achieved such success, the Indian U-16 team now sets their foot in the 2018 AFC U-16 Championships qualifiers and will look count on all those experience in their matches against stronger opponents like Iraq, Palestine and hosts Nepal.
Despite being part of a tough group head coach of the Indian team, Bibiano Fernandes believes that his boys can qualify for the tournament. Speaking in an interview prior to the match against Palestine Fernandes said, “We strongly believe that we have the ability to qualify for the AFC U-16 Championship 2018 on merit. The stage is set, planning has been immaculate so far, now we have to be just and hit the target with utmost precision.”
Although the team has enjoyed the recent success, coach Fernandes does not want to get complacent. According to him, “AFC is a completely different ball-game from SAFF Championship. At the same time, I believe that our boys are all set to give it a go. Yeah, it always makes you confident when you go back to the SAFF Championship victory, but as I said, this is an entirely different level.”
Iraq may have won the AFC U-16 Cup last year but Bibiano feels that victory won’t give them any added advantage over the others. Talking of his much stronger opponents, in the qualifiers he said, “We need to keep it in mind that AFC is a completely different ball-game from SAFF Championship. At the same time, I believe that our boys are all set to give it a go. Yeah, it always makes you confident when you go back to the SAFF Championship victory, but as I said, this is an entirely different level.”
India are set to face Palestine in their first qualifier match of the AFC Championships and Bibiano admitted that “The exposure in Qatar will help the young colts immensely,” thanking the AIFF for organising such an important tour.