Late on Tuesday night, after India’s SAFF Championship triumph here, Igor Stimac was brusque in terming the victory as a not-so-important milestone in India’s journey towards the AFC Asian Cup.
There is some merit in it, for the marquee continental competition is more than six months away and India, over the coming months, will test itself in two better-quality four-nation events – King’s Cup (Thailand) and Merdeka Tournament (Malaysia). It may also be Stimac’s way of not letting his players get ahead of themselves.
But the fortnight was not without gains for India. The campaign – along with the Intercontinental Cup success in Bhubaneswar – has helped assemble a settled squad, develop a progressive style of play and instil a never-say-die attitude.
