The head coach of the Indian men’s football team Khalid Jamil urged the All India (AIFF) and Indian Super League (ISL) to get involved in the “constructive dialogue” to find a solution that balances the club and national commitments. ” Qualification of the Asian Cup in India against Singapore scheduled for October.
Jamil initially named 30 probabilities for the preparatory camp, but the delayed release of key players left the platoon briefly. The absence of the main contributors, including Captain Bengalur FC Sunil CHETRI, emphasizes the recurring problem for the National Party because clubs prefer domestic accessories over international duties.
The training camp, which began in Bengaluru 20. September, currently has 18 players after the addition of Brandon Fernandes, Asheer Akhtar and Farukh Choudhara. Jamil acknowledged the impact of missing players, especially in defensive positions, and said: “Our preparations are always focused on teams, but it does not depend on individuals. However, the absence of players in some positions has naturally influenced training.”
“Some players join in the phases and we are trying to earn the best of the available sources. In the long run, I think it is important to cooperate on finding solutions that balance the club and national commitments,” he added. Jamil claimed that building unity between clubs and the national team is necessary to overcome these challenges.
Bengaluru FC, East Bengal and Pandjab FC are among the clubs that delayed the release of their players, with 14 expected to join at the end of this month. The problem is not new and reflects the continuing friction of the accessibility of the national team during key tournaments and qualifiers.
Jamil noted that players from Mohun Bagan Super Giants and FC Goa were excluded from the camp because of their involvement in the AFC Champions League Two campaign. He explained: “With Mohun Bagan and FC Goa, the situation was clear from the beginning because they had important continental accessories.
“In the future, we hope to keep a similar clarity with all clubs. After all, it is a team game, and if we have such clarity, we would know which players we have to plan ahead.” Jamil, who recently led the team to the third place in the Cafa Nations Cup in Tajikistan, stressed that transparent communication is essential for better planning.
Looking forward, Jamil emphasized the importance of two upcoming Asian Cup qualifications against Singapore and said, “We are fully aware of the meaning of these two games. Positive results can provide us with strong dynamics in our qualifying campaign, while failures would make it difficult.” India is currently sitting with one point in Group C and facing the harsh competition of Singapore Group leaders who have four points so far.
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Published:
Debodinna Chakracorty
Published on:
September 25, 2025
