Chhetri: First focus on Asia, then think World Cup

Sunil Chhetri, Indian national team captain and the AIFF Player of the Year 2011, spoke in Delhi today on the sidelines of an event about a topic which is important when it comes to Team India and the expectations from fans who always which we would play in the FIFA World Cup without knowing that we have to build a reputation in and across Asia first.

"World Cup is a distant thing. Right now our focus should be on doing something good in Asia. If we set high goals at the moment we are going to get frustrated. So we should first look to do something in our continent. As they say you should take small steps and not rush to the goal," Sunil Chhetri said.

A very valid point from Sunil then many forget when they dream about playing in the World Cup that India has to ideally establish itself amongst the Top 10 in Asia before even dreaming to play a World Cup, then North Korea causing an upset and getting through to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa happens rarely in Asian football then normally the biggies like Japan, South Korea, Australia, Saudi Arabia and Iran are the top candidates to go through with sides from the Middle East like Bahrain and Qatar aiming to qualify, but having failed so far.

We need to play over the next decade the AFC Asian Cup regularly, 2011 with the comeback after 27 years was a good comeback. Now it should become normal for India to play at the highest level in Asia.

Also present at the event in Delhi was former Manchester United star and Trinidad&Tobago captain Dwight Yorke who said, "To see India playing in the World Cup one day, that is going to be the dream and with the support from the AIFF and the government we will see Indian players playing at the top level."