Skipper Chhetri backs coach Stimac’s four-week camp ahead of Asian Cup

Sunil Chhetri and Igor Stimac

Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri on Sunday backed head coach Igor Stimac's demand to have a long camp of at least four weeks ahead of the Asian Cup early next year, saying the team needs to have enough preparation time to face the best teams in the continent.

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The 38-year-old Chhetri, who will be playing his last Asian Cup in Doha (January 12 to February 10), also pitched for at least one international friendly match against a top-seven ranked country in Asia such as Iran, Japan or Saudi Arabia before the continental showpiece. "We are going to face Australia, Uzbekistan and Syria in the Asian Cup [group matches], that is why Stimac [as well as goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu] have spoken about long camps. We need it and I really hope we get it," Chhetri said in a virtual media interaction.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) top brass had indicated that Stimac's demand would be difficult to meet.

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