From Grassroots to Elite Level: Indian Football Stars Share Insights in Pune
Pune, 25th December 2025: The players and coaches are members of the same family, and if they trust each other, they can certainly achieve great success in football, stated Indian women’s football team’s head coach Crispin Chhetri and the head coach of the Indian U-17 boys’ team, Bibiano Fernandes. Indian football team captain and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Indian football team defender Rahul Bheke expressed their opinion that discipline and punctuality are important factors in a player’s life.
A football-related discussion was organized at PYC Hindu Gymkhana on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the renowned Deccan XI football Club. In this discussion, all four individuals shared their thoughts on the Indian football field and opportunities abroad. Pune District Football Association President and MLA Dr. Vishwajeet Kadam and MLA Siddharth Shirole were present on this occasion. Deccan XI’s founder president Avinash Adige and Director Mandar Tamhane also expressed their views. The institution’s directors Anil and Sunil Deshpande, and Rajesh Bhosle were also present. Renowned interviewer Vaidehi Vaidya conducted their interviews. The Deccan XI family, comprising former players, current players from all age groups, and their parents, a total of about 400 people, were present at the ceremony. Everyone got to hear very valuable insights about the international football scene, the Indian national teams and what it requires to progress from grassroot to eilte football. The audience applauded the thoughts presented by the speakers.
Bibiano Fernandes said, “Players, coaches, and administrators need to study the game of football meticulously to succeed in their respective roles in order achive the goals together” He added, “My long career as a player has benefited me in my work as a coach. I have adopted an approach where players can enjoy the game during practice, and the training methods are made as simple as possible. Most importantly, if players and coaches trust each other, communication between them improves significantly, leading to the player’s success. Players should understand that they are responsible for the team’s success and should fulfill their roles accordingly.”
Crispin Chhetri said, “Women face many difficulties while pursuing a career in a challenging sport like football. They have to deal with health issues, in particular, and also face criticism from others for playing as women. After securing a place in the senior team and playing two or three international matches, they start thinking about how to get a job, and after getting a job, they don’t take their careers seriously. Also, very few women continue their careers after marriage. That’s why coaches like us face many challenges while training women’s teams.”
Gurpreet Singh said, “Even after achieving considerable success at the international and national levels, I was dropped from the Indian team. However, instead of getting discouraged, I went to Norway for three months of training. I maintained my confidence that I would get a place in the Indian team again and practiced diligently there. During that time, there was a change in the Indian team’s coaching staff, and the new coaches not only gave me another opportunity but also entrusted me with the responsibility of captaining the Indian team. The point is, don’t be discouraged by failure; keep practicing with determination, and success will be yours.”
Rahul Bheke said, “While playing football for my school, our coaches taught us that players should keep their eyes, ears, and minds open, as this allows you to learn a lot.” He said that it helped him secure a place in the national team. He had set a goal of becoming a professional player at the international level, and he played with focus accordingly. That’s how he gained recognition.
