New Delhi: Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri on Friday said his decision to retire after next month's World Cup qualifier against Kuwait was driven by instinct and he would like to take a "rest" after completing his obligations in the domestic circuit. Would like.
Chhetri, 39, announced his decision to retire from international football after a FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Kuwait on June 6, ending a 19-year career during which he was India's top goalscorer with 94 strikes. -Become a scorer.
He will leave the scene as India's most capped player after appearing in 15 matches after his swansong tournament. Chhetri Durin said, "The decision to retire was not due to the physical aspect. I am still fully fit, running, chasing It is not difficult to do, defend, work hard.The reason for this (decision) is the mental part which is the difficult part." A virtual conversation from Bhuvneshwar.
"It started from instinct, I can't tell why it came because I don't know. When the instinct came that it's time for me to stop, I started thinking about a lot of things. This (retirement decision) ) It's not easy, it took some time but I'm calm, I made the right decision.,
Chhetri said he has given his best for the team and it is the right time to retire. "It is most important for me to bring value to the team. Sometimes that can happen because of what we have become." , that I'm still tied to tea and that's something I never wanted. When you grow up, a lot of priorities change.
"In terms of numbers, in terms of GPS jackets (to monitor players' fitness), in terms of what I bring, I wanted to have something of value as long as I was in the national team.“When you are in good form, you add more value, when you are not in much form you add less value, but it goes on. But now I have come to a stage where I Really wanted to leave the national team and I know I am leaving. It's a very good stage because there are a lot of players who are going to do well." As to when, he said, "I don't know the exact date, but 10 to 15 days after the Afghanistan match, I started thinking about retirement."
India suffered a crushing 1-2 defeat to Afghanistan in Guwahati on 26 March, which led to a lot of criticism for the team and head coach Igor Stimac."I was fighting with myself, trying to think holistically. How am I physically, what are our next goals, what will happen to the national team, all these things came to my mind. But there was a decision-making process. The announcement came a month later. “I would have announced it earlier, but I caught chicken pox. I remained isolated in a room for 15-18 days. Then it took me 12-14 days to get fit.That's why I was at peace when I made the announcement. The hard part was when I told myself this was the end."
Chhateri said he can play for two more years in the domestic circuit before taking sabbatical. His contract with Indian Super League team Bengaluru F is till next year.
“A year or two at most.I don't know, I will play (domestic football), I am with Bengaluru FC for one more year. I don't know when I will end this journey. I want to take some rest after that." And I don't want to jump into anything. "But I will never stay away from Indian football.I will definitely get back to my game but first I will see if I am worth anything or not. There will be a lot of crying on June 7th, I will rest the next day. After June 8, I will take a break and be with my family. From July 1, I will start pre-season training with Bengaluru FC."
When asked whether he would consider coaching or try an administrative position after the end of his playing career, Chhetri said, "I would say never, I will think about it during my sabbatical but it is on my agenda right now." Not very high.,
The iconic player said he had consulted Indian coach Igor Stimac before announcing his decision. "When I went to Stimac and told him about my decision to retire, he understood it. He didn't stop me We had a good conversation and he said, 'Okay, you make sure we come together and make sure we win the game'.,
He said that he wants people to remember him as a hard-working player.
"At first, I never paid attention to questions about my heritage, but now I think people should remember me as a hard-working player and a good-looking player," he said with a laugh. "I never Thought I would score so many goals, not reaching 94, 100 goals never bothers me. I am lucky and proud that I have played 150 matches for my country in 19 years, this is the number that I really like it, it's unique and extraordinary.
“If I had to tell my son what I have achieved as a footballer, playing 150 matches would be at the top.,
Chhetri chose his first match for India against Pakistan in 2005 and playing three Asian Cup tournaments as his best moments. He said qualifying for the first time in the World Cup third round qualifiers on June 6 would be the second best moment. .
"We are a developing country in football. What we want to achieve is far from achieved. Slowly and steadily, we took five steps forward and then three steps back, then we took two steps forward and one step back .It's been a roller coaster ride, not an easy one." Over the last 10 years, we've been moving towards where we want to go, we want to be in the top 10 in Asia and stay there. In the Asia Eye Rankings, we Generally between 16 and 19."
Chhetri, 39, announced his decision to retire from international football after a FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Kuwait on June 6, ending a 19-year career during which he was India's top goalscorer with 94 strikes. -Become a scorer.
He will leave the scene as India's most capped player after appearing in 15 matches after his swansong tournament. Chhetri Durin said, "The decision to retire was not due to the physical aspect. I am still fully fit, running, chasing It is not difficult to do, defend, work hard.The reason for this (decision) is the mental part which is the difficult part." A virtual conversation from Bhuvneshwar.
"It started from instinct, I can't tell why it came because I don't know. When the instinct came that it's time for me to stop, I started thinking about a lot of things. This (retirement decision) ) It's not easy, it took some time but I'm calm, I made the right decision.,
Chhetri said he has given his best for the team and it is the right time to retire. "It is most important for me to bring value to the team. Sometimes that can happen because of what we have become." , that I'm still tied to tea and that's something I never wanted. When you grow up, a lot of priorities change.
"In terms of numbers, in terms of GPS jackets (to monitor players' fitness), in terms of what I bring, I wanted to have something of value as long as I was in the national team.“When you are in good form, you add more value, when you are not in much form you add less value, but it goes on. But now I have come to a stage where I Really wanted to leave the national team and I know I am leaving. It's a very good stage because there are a lot of players who are going to do well." As to when, he said, "I don't know the exact date, but 10 to 15 days after the Afghanistan match, I started thinking about retirement."
India suffered a crushing 1-2 defeat to Afghanistan in Guwahati on 26 March, which led to a lot of criticism for the team and head coach Igor Stimac."I was fighting with myself, trying to think holistically. How am I physically, what are our next goals, what will happen to the national team, all these things came to my mind. But there was a decision-making process. The announcement came a month later. “I would have announced it earlier, but I caught chicken pox. I remained isolated in a room for 15-18 days. Then it took me 12-14 days to get fit.That's why I was at peace when I made the announcement. The hard part was when I told myself this was the end."
Chhateri said he can play for two more years in the domestic circuit before taking sabbatical. His contract with Indian Super League team Bengaluru F is till next year.
“A year or two at most.I don't know, I will play (domestic football), I am with Bengaluru FC for one more year. I don't know when I will end this journey. I want to take some rest after that." And I don't want to jump into anything. "But I will never stay away from Indian football.I will definitely get back to my game but first I will see if I am worth anything or not. There will be a lot of crying on June 7th, I will rest the next day. After June 8, I will take a break and be with my family. From July 1, I will start pre-season training with Bengaluru FC."
When asked whether he would consider coaching or try an administrative position after the end of his playing career, Chhetri said, "I would say never, I will think about it during my sabbatical but it is on my agenda right now." Not very high.,
The iconic player said he had consulted Indian coach Igor Stimac before announcing his decision. "When I went to Stimac and told him about my decision to retire, he understood it. He didn't stop me We had a good conversation and he said, 'Okay, you make sure we come together and make sure we win the game'.,
He said that he wants people to remember him as a hard-working player.
"At first, I never paid attention to questions about my heritage, but now I think people should remember me as a hard-working player and a good-looking player," he said with a laugh. "I never Thought I would score so many goals, not reaching 94, 100 goals never bothers me. I am lucky and proud that I have played 150 matches for my country in 19 years, this is the number that I really like it, it's unique and extraordinary.
“If I had to tell my son what I have achieved as a footballer, playing 150 matches would be at the top.,
Chhetri chose his first match for India against Pakistan in 2005 and playing three Asian Cup tournaments as his best moments. He said qualifying for the first time in the World Cup third round qualifiers on June 6 would be the second best moment. .
"We are a developing country in football. What we want to achieve is far from achieved. Slowly and steadily, we took five steps forward and then three steps back, then we took two steps forward and one step back .It's been a roller coaster ride, not an easy one." Over the last 10 years, we've been moving towards where we want to go, we want to be in the top 10 in Asia and stay there. In the Asia Eye Rankings, we Generally between 16 and 19."
