Asian Cup 2019: Draw easier than 2011, but it won't be a walk in the park, says goalkeeper Gurpreet

Bengaluru, May 5: March 27 is a day that Gurpreet Singh Sandhu would like to forget. Playing in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic snapped the 13-game unbeaten run of the Indian national football team during their Asian Cup qualifier while Gurpreet, the India No 1 goalkeeper, captained the side in the absence of the suspended Sunil Chhetri. The result didn't really have a bearing on India's qualification as they had confirmed their slot in the 2019 Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) back in October 2017 with two games to spare. Yet, it exposed the country's overdependence on Chhetri, the all-time topscorer for India with 56 goals and Gurpreet hopes the national team learns to fight these battles without him.

In a detailed chat, Gurpreet, the brand ambassador for RFC Football Academy, talks about India's chances in the Asian Cup, the Indian Super League (ISL) final loss to Chennaiyin FC and more.

Read on...

India are placed in Group A alongside UAE, Bahrain and Thailand. What do you think about our chances?

GSS: If you compare it to the 2011 draw where we were placed with Australia, Korea and Bahrain, it's not as bad. But for sure, teams like UAE, Thailand and Bahrain are good and competitive sides. It's not going to be easy or a walk in the park for us. We need good preparation throughout the year. The Asian Cup will be a good opportunity for us to perform well in UAE and try to get results over there.

India's 13-game unbeaten run ended against Kyrgyz Republic in their last Asian Cup qualifier. Does it matter?

GSS: For me, unbeaten runs and this and that is not a priority. For me, it's all about performing well and getting the result. That result was unfortunate, but we learnt a lot from that game. Kyrgyzstan is a good side and that's why they are also in the Asian Cup final stages. That's why they are ranked 75th in the world. It was a tough team but yes, we have the potential to get the result against a team like that. And we showed that by beating them at home in Bengaluru during the home fixture of the Asian Cup qualifier.

There was no Sunil Chhetri in the team and then the unbeaten run ends. Is there an overdependence on him?

GSS: For sure, a player like Sunil bhai always makes us stronger and give us a boost. But we also need to start to learn to play without him. We can't be dependant on one player and one individual. So that's why I think it's important to use that opportunity (we had to get a result when he was suspended for the Kyrgyz Republic game). The game could have either way. A goal was disallowed and some decisions did not go in our favour. It was not a fair result in my opinion but that's the way football works. I think we can get results even when he's not there. In the future, when he decides to stop playing, the Indian team has to keep performing and playing well. We need to learn how to play as a team and not as an individual.

"If you're looking for a goal of the tournament, you won't find one any better than that!"

Relive the skipper's audacious effort against @Mohun_Bagan in the #SuperCup semifinal. #EBvBFC #TheFinale pic.twitter.com/eK7Qher6Ef

— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) April 19, 2018

Does the loss to Chennaiyin FC for Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League final still hurt?

GSS: It was a big and an important game. It was our (Bengaluru FC's) first ISL final and mine too. Getting into the final straightaway in the first year and doing so well in the league and even maintaining that long gap between the first and second position in the league phase - obviously when you lose it hurts a bit. But we need to learn that nothing comes easy and we got that lesson from Chennaiyin FC. But after winning the Super Cup in Bhubaneswar, it doesn't bother me much.

When others lost their hunger our hunger got even stronger, glad to have won my 1st trophy for the club and our 5th in 5 years! #5in5 #WeAreBFC pic.twitter.com/iTpjjz0Nzl

— Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (@GurpreetGK) April 20, 2018

Before the Asian Cup, India will play the Inter-continental Cup against teams like South Africa, New Zealand and Chinese Taipei. How good is it as a preparatory test ahead of the tournament in January 2019?

GSS: For sure, any number of matches before the Asian Cup, especially with teams like South Africa and New Zealand who have played the World Cup before, will help us. With that exposure, we have to make sure we use it well. I just hope we keep using all the international windows in the year to play as much as we can and make the team stronger before the Asian Cup.

What can one expect from the Inter-continental Cup?

GSS: I think you can see a good amount of - good football. You have teams like SA and New Zealand, who have played in the World Cup. Chinese Taipei is good as well. The Indian team will be tested for sure. But we can't stop at that. The rest of the year has to be similar and we have to keep playing teams like them. For me, this Inter-continental Cup is an opportunity to test ourselves and make sure we prepare and start off the right way for the Asian Cup.

We have been drawn in Group A for the @afcasiancup Challenges with @uaefa_A,@FAThailand and @bfainfo await. #AsianDream #BackTheBlue #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/J7DhO6CHLs

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) May 4, 2018

But the Indian national team has always played lesser-ranked teams before...

GSS: It all depends on the availability of teams. I am sure that the All India Football Federation and the people who are making these decisions don't wabnt to choose lower-ranked teams. Sometimes it's just because of unavailability of certain teams, which is making that happen. We need to make sure we play more games, get results, keep our heads down and make our team strong for the Asian Cup. All the national teams use their FIFA international fixtures window and so do we. We need to play as much as possible.

If we use every single international window from now until the beginning of the Asian Cup, at least two games per window should be the target. It rounds up about six to eight games depends on the availability of other sides as well.

A goalkeeper is only as strong as the four defenders in front of him. What do you think?

GSS: Not only the defenders, I think the strikers too have a role to play. The defending starts from there. If they are doing the job, it's good for us because we'll be more organised to win the ball back and attack on the counter.

Would it be helpful if the national team had a training camp in Dubai (UAE) before the Asian Cup?

GSS: For sure. We're playing there after all. A training camp in similar conditions will help. I am sure the AIFF is working on it and we'll try our best to use that facility.

Subrata Paul was the goalkeeper during the 2011 Asian Cup and now the mantle has been passed on to you. How do you think you have progressed?

GSS: I don't take my place for granted. I always want to work for it and have worked for it. I will try to work for it and perform for national team as much as possible. If we do our jobs correctly and follow the coach's tactics correctly, we can get result in UAE. But we need to take one step at a time. We shouldn't be keeping our heads so high that we forget our facts. We need to keep our heads down and take it game by game.

There are many goalkeepers in the running for the national side like Vishal Kaith, Amrinder Singh, Karanjit Singh and others. As the No 1 goalkeeper in the country, do you think you have an edge over the others because of your experience playing for Stabaek FC in Norway?

It has given me an advantage because of my work (the work I have put in). It hasn't given me an advantage just because I played in Europe. That's giving me the experience now. There's a good competition in the goalkeeping department and it's healthy to have that. You saw the recent performances from others - Vishal, Karanjit, Amrinder, Arindam Bhattacharya and other countless names. It's good to have that competition.

What about Dheeraj, the India Under-17 goalkeeper who's trying his luck with Motherwell FC in Scotland?

For sure, he's young and he's at a place where he's getting decent training. He's going to develop at a faster rate than I or others did in the national side. It's going to be very good in the future when he comes to national team and helps us.

It's the coach's opinion to take him into the national team or not for the Asian Cup or the Asian Games. I can't say anything about that.

Does familiarity with your Bengaluru FC teammates like Sunil and Udanta helps during the national team's games?

I know what their attributes are and what they are good at. It helps a lot, yes. We try to replicate many things that we do in the national team when we're playing for Bengaluru FC and vice-versa. It helps a lot to play with the same players.