Chettri asserts Guam match most important for India

There are players who seem to add an extra dimension to their game when made to don the national team colours. Senior Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri seems to be one from that breed. Already the most prolific goal scorer for the Blues, the Delhi born playmaker has been phenomenal to say the least off late. Albeit in a losing cause, a goal each in each of the first three World Cup Qualifiers added to his already enviable international record.

Almost a veteran now, he plies his trade for Bengaluru FC in the I League and was picked up by Mumbai City FC for a whopping 1.2 crores in the ISL Auction in September.

Prior to the tournament SportsKeeda had caught up with him and he had mentioned how it will serve as good preparation for the upcoming engagements of the national team. Surprising as it sounds, he deemed ISL as just a preparatory event when everyone else in the footballing fraternity of the country is going gung-ho about it.

Ahead of their next fixture in the World Cup Qualifiers thus, he asserted how important winning is to them is, in an interview with IANS, “I am currently thinking about nothing but the Guam match. I really want to win the match. It has been tough tournament for us. Be played well a few matches but the results didn't not go our way. This is the match we have to win at any cause.

This is important because the Asian qualification is also on stake. At home in Bangalore we really fancy ourselves. I hope everyone comes in the camp, whoever comes to the camp comes injury free. So we can train hard as a team and train well and give a good performance.”

Asked about people calling for Coach Stephen Constantine’s resignation, he added, “I think Stephen is a hard working guy and he is doing what is possible for him to do. Also it requires time when you have a young side and as far as I am concerned as a player and as a captain, I have to go and give whatever I have, whoever the coach is I have to go there on the field and give my best for the side. I am not someone who will decide on the coaches.”

The last match that he plays in ISL before the match vs Guam is against Delhi Dynamos tomorrow and the joint highest scorer of the franchisee based league seemed optimistic about returning to winning ways, "I am happy to score for my team in the ISL. Last match we were thrashed (Atletico de Kolkata beat Mumbai 4-1). It's unfortunate. I think we have got to winning and take the team ahead and I think winning is the most important thing. We were so happy to get those nine points. ISL is so tightly contested that if you lose one match you go down and if you win one you climb higher and higher.

We hope to emerge victorious tomorrow though!”