The countdown to the inaugural edition of ISL has started, but before that the country's football fraternity w... Read More

SILIGURI: The countdown to the inaugural edition of the Indian Super League (ISL) has started, but before that the country's football fraternity will be focused on the Kanchenjunga Stadium where the Indian senior national team faces Palestine in a Fifa International friendly on Monday.

It's not official yet, but this will be the last game that Wim Koevermans will be in charge of the Indian team. According to an AIFF source, the Dutchman's contract - which runs out at the end of this month - is unlikely to be renewed.

It's another opportunity for 158th ranked India to play against a higher ranked side (Palestine are 102 on the Fifa list), and Koevermans - who took charge of the national team in 2012 - will surely hope for a happy swansong.

"This is an interesting friendly game against one of the strongest teams we have played against. The camp in Goa went well and now we have to play at our best level," Koevermans said on Sunday.

The last time India faced Palestine was in February 2013 when they went down 2-4 after being 2-1 ahead at the interval. To topple Palestine, who are playing friendlies to prepare for the Asian Cup next year, the Indian defence - expected to be manned by Denzil Franco, Arnab Mondal, Aibor Khongjee and Narayan Das - will have to deliver a compact performance.

While Mehtab Hossain and Lenny Rodrigues will marshal the midfield, Koevermans will have to choose between Robin Singh and Balwant Singh as skipper Sunil Chhetri 's partner up front. "A lot of things have changed from the last time we played against Palestine. We have improved as a team.

We have watched a few videos of the Palestine team and are hoping for a good result," said Chhetri.

India not to seek compensation

SILIGURI: The Palestine Football Federation, while informing the AIFF about its inability to play the scheduled second Fifa International friendly against India in Siliguri on October 9, had offered to play an 'exhibition' game instead so that they could play another international friendly (against Pakistan) during the October 6 to 14 Fifa window.

The AIFF refused that 'offer' as clubs are not obliged to release players for the national team for exhibition matches. "We did not want to get into an unsavoury situation with the clubs," said an AIFF source.