Upset India call off tie against Barbados.
By Mihir Vasavda.
Daily News & Analysis.
India’s Caribbean curse continued as the national football team’s first match of the tour — scheduled on Wednesday against Barbados — was called off less than 24 hours before the kick-off in Kensington.
The decision was taken after some shoddy treatment was dished out by the organisers to the Indian team that landed in Barbados on Sunday. Though the players, team management and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) were keen to go ahead with the match, coach Armando Colaco remained firm and insisted that the match be cancelled.
“The players were tired and jet-lagged after travelling for more than 24 hours. After reaching Barbados, there was no bus sent to receive the team. There was no one from the host federation to welcome the team. They had to find their hotel by themselves. Then, at the hotel — which was pretty sub-standard — the food arrangements were poor. The players later moved to a better hotel,” a source said.
Apart from the hardships the team faced, they didn’t even get to train properly for Wednesday’s tie. Only one practice session was possible instead of the two, which were actually planned.
The AIFF said Colaco did not want the players — who were not match fit — to get injured during the tie and hence, insisted on cancelling it. Colaco had sent an e-mail to the AIFF on Tuesday, informing them of his decision.
“Colaco made us understand that there was a chance that the players would get injured if we played the match. We have to trust what he says and with the I-League season coming up, we didn’t want that to happen.I think the Barbados federation should have taken some responsibility,” AIFF general secretary Kushal Das told DNA.
The tour, from the beginning, has been embroiled in controversies. At first, the AIFF had a tough time in convincing the clubs to release their players. Then, the federation said the match would be against Barbados but later issued a statement just before the team’s departure that India will play St Kitts and Nevis. That was because there was no confirmation from the Barbados federation regarding the match until Saturday.
St Kitts and Nevis was kept as a standby option but upon getting the confirmation from Barbados, Plan B was scrapped. The London riots then led to the delay of the team’s departure by a day. And finally, the alleged cold hospitality of the Barbados Football Association completed the circle.
India left for Port of Spain on Wednesday, where they will take on 88-ranked Trinidad and Tobago on August 21. The final match of the tour will be played against Guyana on August 24.