Asian Cup qualification should be a regular thing for India: Eugeneson Lyngdoh

"The National Team has done great in the recent past. Qualifying for back-to-back AFC Asian Cups is very good for Indian Football, and we need to take things forward from here," said Lyngdoh. "I think we need to show faith in the coaches and the players who have taken us to the Asian Cup and help them follow the process that they have set out for themselves.

We cannot be looking at short-term gains here," he added. "We should be at a stage where Asian Cup Qualification is a regular thing for India, and for that, our National Team needs to play during every international break. That's the only way the set of players will get better at playing alongside each other, that is how the team chemistry will build up," said Lyngdoh.

"If we do that, I'm sure we can perform well once we get to the AFC Asian Cup," Lyngdoh added. The Senior Men's National Team is currently ranked 104 on the FIFA Rankings table. However, Eugene, as he was fondly known in the dressing room, is not one who dwells too much on the rankings.

"Rankings are important, but what really matters is how we play. And that will only improve with more matches against quality opponents. The team needs to grow together, and we need to grow together as a footballing nation with them," said Eugeneson Lyngdoh.

The new Technical Committee, consisting of five former India Internationals - IM Vijayan (chairman), Harjinder Singh, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Climax Lawrence, and Pinky Bompal Magar - will meet for the first time on Sunday, September 18, 2022 in Kolkata. Lyngdoh feels that the presence of all these eminent players in the committee will help it make better decisions that will be aimed at improving the conditions for the current footballers in India.