It's always good to get a goal that wins you the tournament: Sunil Chhetri

How does it feel to have scored the winner that won India the SAFF Cup?
To win the Cup was an awesome feeling. Especially since many of our first-team players were injured. It's not good news when first team players like Anas (Edathodika), Sandesh (Jhingan), Cavin (Lobo), Seityasen (Singh) and Romeo (Fernandes) are out of the tournament due to injuries. But the players really stepped up and gave their best. Personally, for me, scoring the goal didn't matter as much as winning the match did. But it's always good to get a goal that wins you the tournament.

How important was this win for the Indian team. Especially since there was a lot of backlash after the 2018 World Cup qualifiers? Stephen Constantine said he didn't have high expectations from this tournament.
I don't know what was said in the media, but I can tell you he (Constantine) was very serious about our chances. We were told to take each game at a time. We're always favourites when it comes to the SAFF Cup. We were all motivated to win the tournament despite the many injuries. Even when Robin Singh injured his knee, the coach told us to keep our heads up and do the job. About the World Cup qualifiers, we were a bit unlucky when we played away. But look how we responded with the win against Guam at home. That too with 10 men. It just shows that the team has character.

Constantine believes in building a team for the future. Keeping with that philosophy, he included quite a few youngsters in the squad. Do you it is a good step to hand out debuts in such an international tournament?
I don't think he had much of a choice. What could he do if most of the first-choice players were injured? Having too many youngsters can a be good thing and a bad thing. But for us, it turned out to be a good thing as many of them (youngsters) were handed their international debuts. They got the experience of playing international football, and that's what matters.

You'll didn't have a full-fledged training camp because of the ISL and the upcoming I-League, but still you'll emerged triumphant. Do you think perhaps you'll could have played better had everyone been present for the camp?
We cant complaint about that. Yes, it's always better to have a long preparatory camp be it ISL, I-League or the national team, but we are going through a transition phase in India. We have to be prepared for whatever comes our way.

You've played in the ISL, then played the SAFF Cup. Now comes the I-League. Do you that such a packed schedule could take a toll on the players?
I think if you use proper training and recovery techniques, it shouldn't be much of an issue. At Bengaluru FC, we're very well looked after. You see, no Bengaluru FC player was injured during the ISL. That speaks for itself. Personally, I don't mind playing a game every weekend. The ISL had games close to each other, but that was fine. The I-League will also have close games because we have to play the AFC Cup. To answer your question, I don't think it will take a toll on the players. All the players that I know don't mind playing every weekend.

The FIFA U-17 World Cup will take place in India next year. Do you think it will be an acid test for Indian football?
Definitely. I think it's a very important tournament for us. We've qualified by being the host nation, so we should grab this opportunity with both hands. All our focus, everything, must be on this tournament. The U-17 team that's selected must be given whatever they need. They should be looked after very well. They should continue their exposure trips and keep bettering themselves. I've seen them play and I am quite impressed with their talent. But then again, this is a World Cup we're talking about. They need to produce a team that can compete at the highest level. The boys can then go on and make it to the senior national team. And by that, the quality of Indian football will just get better.

Lastly, after winning almost all there is to win in Indian football, what more does Sunil Chhetri want to achieve?
I've always said that I don't keep any long term goals. Right now I'm focussed on winning against Salgaocar (Bengaluru play Salgaocar in their first I-League game).