With the 2023 Asian Cup in mind, India’s head coach Igor Stimac will not want his team to take anything for granted and will expect the young players named to the squad to seize the opportunity with both hands and put themselves in contention for the bigger battles ahead.
Following Myanmar, the home team will face Kyrgyzstan on March 28 at the same venue. Manipur has probably never been more prepared than it is now. Of course, several Blue Tigers have regularly competed in domestic tournaments in the state that has produced so many top footballers for the national team over the years.
However, it is a first for the football-crazed state in terms of international tournaments. Welcome to my house, lads, Chinglensana Konsham said. I’ve gotten a lot of calls and messages from people back home since it was announced that Imphal would host the tri-nation, the India defender added.
Football is a sport close to the people of Manipur’s hearts. However, midfielder Suresh Wangjam pointed out that his home state’s sporting interests extend beyond football.
It’s more than just football. Manipurans enjoy a wide range of sports such as boxing, badminton, hockey, weightlifting, and many others, said the 22-year-old from the land of Mary Koms and Mirabai Chanus.
I remember how excited everyone in my family was when it was announced that Imphal would host the tri-nation. They could see me play for India in our hometown, which is something special, Suresh explained.
They’ve always come to the stadium to watch me whenever I play in Imphal in the I-League, but this will be a much bigger stage. Of course, a lot of relatives have requested tickets, he laughed.
Chinglensana believes that the current crop of players from the state has come this far because of top players like Renedy Singh and Gouramangi Singh, who became role models at the national level.
We have all grown up watching Renedy bhai or Mangi (Gouramangi) bhai play for the national team, and now it’s an honour that we are carrying the tradition forward. I had idolised Mangi bhai since I was a child and learned a lot about defending from watching him play, Chinglensana explained.
The prospect of playing at the Khuman Lampak Stadium excites more than just the local players. Anirudh Thapa, who played for Chennaiyin FC in the Durand Cup last year, expressed his excitement as well.
Playing at the Khuman Lampak is a surreal experience. The stands would be packed, and everyone would be rooting for the team. Of course, I’ve been on the receiving end of that stick before, but it would be great to have them on our side this time, Thapa said.
I hope they come out in even larger numbers this time, and that we have the full vocal support of the Imphal crowd, he said.
