Former national coach Syed Nayeemuddin, who had called for sacking Bob Houghton after India's SAFF Cup final defeat, took a U-turn and joined the chorus of those praising the Englishman.
KOLKATA: Former national coach Syed Nayeemuddin, who had called for sacking Bob Houghton after India's SAFF Cup final defeat to Maldives, on Thursday took a U-turn and joined the chorus of those praising the Englishman and his charges after their historic AFC Challenge Cup victory.
The Dronacharya awardee coach may have called Houghton "uninspiring" after India's 0-1 loss to Maldives in June, but a mellowed down Nayeemuddin said he had criticised the Englishman in a fit of rage as he was "deeply upset" by the SAFF performance.
"I was very upset after the loss, so like any Indian I had made those comments. But today, I'm happy of the entire team and I am happy of coach Bob Houghton as well," he said.
Terming Houghton's role in the AFC Challenge Cup victory as "excellent", Nayeemuddin said the entire team should be retained till 2011, when India play in the Asian Cup in Doha.
"It was a great victory. Outstanding performances came from Sunil Chhetri and goalkeeper Subrato Paul. I congratulate them and wish them luck. Credit should also go to AIFF and its president Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, who got sponsors for the team."
Urging the federation to encourage Indian coaches, Nayeemuddin added, "The country has many qualified coaches and I'm sure we're also capable of producing the same result (like Houghton) if properly encouraged by the federation."
"I've nothing against any foreign coaches. In fact, we're ready to learn from them, given an opportunity. What I'm trying to say is that Indians should not be ignored and the coaches who are qualified should be utilised.
"Houghton is getting whatever he's asking for, so he is doing well. Sukhwinder also did well for India. If we get all the facilities, even we can produce the desired results. But we should have patience with the Indian coaches. What happens is that allegations fly thick and fast after a poor performance," said Nayeemuddin who was shown the door by AIFF in early 2006 after India's string of poor performances in the Asian Cup qualifiers.
In his first stint as coach in 1997, India won the South Asian Football Federation Cup by beating Maldives 51 and reached the semi-finals of the Nehru Cup for the first time.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}