Missakian: "New format hardly troubled our preparation"

Sunday, 16. August 2009 - IndianFootball.Com reporter

IndianFootball.Com presents (2)009 - TEAM SPY!

Find out what the visiting teams do and say during their Nehru Cup 2009 campaign...


The Lebanese team arrived for the ONGC Nehru Cup 2009 in the capital today. The team is all set to take on the defending champions and hosts India in the opener on August 19. It seems they are all set to give a tough time to 'The Bhangra Boys', whom they thrashed 4-1 in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers two years ago. As far as the composition of the team is concerned, the team is more or less the same who played India two years back according to Hempartsoum Missakian, Head of Delegation. The Indian team managed to secure a 2-2 draw in their home game against the Lebanese after being thrashed 1-4 in the away game, which still remains fresh in Bob Houghton eyes.

Four key players are still missing, with defender Ahmed Al Khodor being one of them. Al Khodor was left out on the last hour due to a viral infection that forced them to have only a 19 players roster. "We had to leave out Khodor because of his illness and as it occurred at the last hour. We hardly had time to look for a replacement and that is why we are here with 19 players,” said Missakian.

Ramiz Dayoub, who is currently training with East Bengal, was also left out due to his unavailability. Missakian: "He was not available for the preparations and that is why he was left out of the team."

One of the major controversy before the commence of the Nehru Cup was the virtual participation of a Palestine club team, which forced the AIFF to make the cmpetition a five team affair and alter the format of the tournament. Commenting on the format and sudden change in the same, the Head of Delegation said that they "hardly recognized the change of format and our preparation was hardly troubled by this!"

The team had their first one hour practice session at the Janki Devi Memorial College today. The team had a general warm up and focused on the team build-up in order to get acclimatized to the weather conditions. But a surprising rain shower in the capital forced them to cut down their practice session. The team looks in a better shape after two month long preparation camp. They are also hoping to put up a competitive show in the Nehru Cup.


More exclusive news and player statements will follow on this page throughout the day!