Over time, we might see many U-16 lads playing in ISL or Indian national team: Ishfaq Ahmed

Ishfaq Ahmed’s India U-16 will play their first SAFF Championship game on September 1

The India U-16 Men’s National Team is set for a comparatively tougher group in the SAFF U-16 Championship, though head coach Ishfaq Ahmed feels that it would be a good start for his boys in international football.

The Blue Colts have been drawn in Group A, alongside Nepal and Bangladesh. Arguably the top three teams in the tournament will face each other in Group A, with only two of them progressing to the semi-finals.

“We are in a tough group, but that’s fine. In SAFF, you are expected to beat all the other teams in your group. You just need to go there, put your best foot forward and perform well,” said Ahmed. “No doubt, Nepal and Bangladesh are good sides, but we also have quality players, and I’m sure we will do well against them.”

India will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on September 1, followed by their match against Nepal on September 5. The semi-finals and final are set to take place on September 7 and 10, respectively.

The India U-16s have been training in Srinagar over the last month, and the 40-year-old is satisfied with how the team has progressed.

“We have had a lot of help from the local administration, the J&K Sports Council, and the J&K Football Association as well, and I would like to convey my deepest thanks to them for their support,” said Ahmed. “The boys have really progressed over the duration of this camp, and I’m looking forward to some good performances.

“We’ve got a bunch of boys who are technically very sound and have a good understanding of football, which is always a good sign. These boys can only grow from here. Of course, they all need to keep working on their physique, and over time, we will see many of them playing in the ISL and maybe even the Senior National Team,” said the 40-year-old.

While Ahmed has no doubts about the abilities of his boys, he does feel that garnering more playing experience is what will help them progress further.

“The major thing that they are lacking is playing matches at the junior international level. In fact, this is the first time that they will play at such a stage, so we also need to be a little careful,” said Ahmed. “As coaching staff, we need to make them feel that they can do it.”

The India U-16 National Team will travel to Thimphu, Bhutan on August 30 for the SAFF U-16 Championship.

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