Margao: India women's football team head coach Crispin Chettri has demonstrated his commitment to youth development by fielding several young players during the SAFF Women's Championship in Goa. In his pre-tournament media interaction, the coach emphasized that winning the regional championship after a seven-year wait would be beneficial for his resume, but providing opportunities to younger players holds greater significance.
Taking Risks for Long-Term Progress
Despite being on probation with the national team—his contract concludes on Sunday—Chettri chose to take risks rather than focus solely on securing his long-term future. In the opener against Maldives, he fielded several under-20 players. For the crucial clash against defending champions Bangladesh, he made six changes, and in the semifinal against Bhutan, he left experienced players like Sangita Basfore, Manisha Kalyan, Pyari Xaxa, and Grace Dangmei on the bench.
"If we don't take risks, with these (younger) players, we will not progress," Crispin told TOI during a recent training session at Don Bosco ground, Fatorda. "I think just winning the SAFF Championship won't help us in the long term. We have to test these girls. We can play a friendly match and give chances, but friendlies don't help in judging the mindset."
Judging Players Under Pressure
Chettri explained that competition is the only true test of a player's mindset. "We can only judge the mindset of these players during competitions. That's why I took some (young) players to Kenya (for the FIFA Series). There too I tried a few. I tried them in competition, to see how they would react. Sanfida (Nongrum), for example, did a good job while under pressure (against Bangladesh). Then we know who we want to have as part of a core (group of players) for longer future."
Building for the Future
India's qualification to the AFC Asian Cup 2026 with a win against World Cuppers Thailand in their own den, under Crispin's guidance, showcased the potential of the women's team. Even at the SAFF Championship, India have rarely looked uncomfortable. "Here, we are largely a group of under-22 players. With this group we can play two AFC (Asian Cup) competitions. FIFA has decided to expand the number of participating teams in the Women's World Cup from 32 to 48 for the 2031 edition. We have a realistic chance. I know I might lose my job by not winning a thing, but as a football lover, we must start taking risks," said Crispin.
Focus on the Final
India face Bangladesh in the final of the SAFF Women's Championship on Saturday. There is a trophy at stake, reputation, and regional pride. Additionally, there is the chance to end a seven-year wait. Now that they are within touching distance of the trophy, Crispin will not leave anything to chance. "Development of players is important. Sometimes results are important too. We want to keep winning because of our FIFA ranking. We have to decide which games we can field youngsters. For the final, we will go with our strongest team. Bangladesh will do the same. We want to go and win, bring the trophy home," said Crispin.
