Armando Colaco selected a 30-member squad on Tuesday for Indian football team’s upcoming friendlies against Maldives and Qatar. Yet, the roster failed to impress the aficionados who felt that the team genuinely lack a spark. Moreover, why he dropped Viva Kerala’s Anil Kumar who has scored 11 goals, the second highest by an Indian after Jeje Lalpekhula in the I-League last season. There was no reason or rhyme. But Armando couldn’t explain the omission of Anil and inclusion of out-of-form Sushil Singh. “He (Anil) hasn’t come into the groove which we wanted,” was what said Armando, who it seems is out there to promote Dempo club.
Nobody has a clue as to why he has packed the squad with seven Dempo players and decided to go with one player from I-League winners Salgaocar. Besides, in a surprise move, Armando has put Salgaocar's Anthony Barbosa along with Anil in the standbyes. Other Salgaocar players, Locus Lamare, Gilberto Oliviera and Khelemba Singh failed to make it because of a delay in their passport renewal.
Though he has given chances to most players who were ignored by Bob Houghton during his term as coach, yet it doesn't augur well for Indian football. Has the interim coach forgot that he is there because AIFF has picked him and not by employers Dempo? By keeping out Salgaocar players shows that he has taken the Goan rivalry into the Indian team.
Nobody expected such a move from a man who has been hailed as the best club coach in recenty years. Managing a club team and organising a national team are two different things, Armando must be aware of it. He cannot put half-fit Dempo players like Mahesh Gawli or Climax Lawrence (who is not in his best) in this team.
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