NEW DELHI, Nov 26: There’s a new coach, plenty of new faces and renewed optimism as Indian football team heads for South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) championship from Dec 7 in Karachi.

SAFF championship is coach Syed Nayeemuddin’s first major tournament in charge, having taken over reins, after string of poor performances by the team.

“It will take a longer time, and they have to work harder. It takes much less time to bring Brazilians, Americans into shape. But if we have to bring this lot at same level as even Koreans, then they must be prepared to spend extra time on training field,” said Nayeemuddin.

SAFF Championships will be national team’s third foreign trip after two three-match series in Pakistan and Fiji. Both proved dismal for side, which lost mainly due to lack of firepower up front.

Former coach Stephen Constantine’s assertion there are no genuine strikers in the country other than Baichung Bhutia and Vijayan is explained by Sikkim star, but trashed by new coach, who says it’s all about grooming youngsters properly.

“So many people say so many things. He has spoilt so many youngsters. I used to give Baichung number 15 jersey and compare him to Baggio, but he - what he has done? Baichung did nothing great after 1998. I do not want to use that lovely English word, but how else to describe him?” said Nayeemuddin.

Bhutia said strikers, especially youngsters, hardly get a chance with clubs going in for foreign strikers.

Both Bhutia and Nayeem were also non-committal about possibility of his returning to squad as skipper.

What coach is more concerned about at the moment is addressing problem of why youngsters fail to repeat some outstanding performances in junior and grade levels, at international stage.—PPI