Assembling U-23 side in matter of days difficult: Constantine

Indian football head coach Stephen Constantine has rued the lack of "pathways" among various age group sides in the country, which he said has often led to assembling of a team just a few days before a major tournament.

Constantine said the U-23 team, which he is looking after at a national camp at the Ambedkar Stadium here, assembled just a few days prior to the continental qualifiers in Qatar mid next month.

The senior national team has been on a break after beating Kyrgyzstan 1-0 in the Asian Cup Qualifiers on June 13, giving Constantine time to take charge of the Under-23 side.

India are clubbed alongside Syria, Turkmenistan and hosts Qatar. Constantine said the boys under his charge could find it difficult in the tournament as they have been together for just 10 days or so.

"I will tell you the difference of Qatar, Syria and Turkmenistan from this Indian team. They (Qatar, Syria and Turkmenistan) must have been together for the last four-five years. We are together for just around 10 days. That is the difference," Constantine told

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