Coming down from his vantage point at the end of the quarterfinal against Belgium – this time, he picked a different spot at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium, standing atop the main gallery for a more side-on view – head coach PR Sreejesh addressed the team huddle. A very animated speech was underway not long after the team had celebrated a thrilling penalty shootout win against one of the best European teams. And it didn’t take a body language expert to know he wasn’t happy.
“Jo maine, as a player, mere teammates ko deta tha, bas ab coach banke, game ke baadh de diya (gave it to them after the game),” Sreejesh deadpanned when reporters asked him what he was furious about. He then elaborated: “Well, I was just explaining to them sweetly that this was not the final. So it is very important to keep our feet on the ground and start focusing on the next match. Most crucial is to focus more on the mistakes we made. It is easy for us to remember the good things we did. But it is important for the players not to repeat the mistakes they made. The errors we made in the opponent’s defence should be reduced; we should be getting more outcomes when we enter the circle.”
Sreejesh’s message right through this tournament has been consistent, in that he doesn’t want his young wards to be happy with whatever they achieve at this World Cup; there are bigger things to aim for and that will happen only if they keep improving their game.
One of those aspects that would have surely bugged him was how India lost possession with 70 seconds to go in the match and a lead to protect. A careless aerial ball from defence went outside the field of play and Belgium immediately transitioned into attack to force a big save from Princedeep Singh, but immediately after the pressure paid and they found a late equaliser. India were lax and could have paid a heavier price if the shootout lottery went against them.
“Frustration was with a lot of things, not with just the last 60 seconds,” Sreejesh said. “But yes, we know what we need to be doing in those situations, we have practised for the scenario when the opponent has taken the goalkeeper off, we know it. I get that there is more pressure in a match, the players are not experienced at this level, so mistakes tend to happen. However, these are the moments they need to raise their standards. They are not players just for this Junior World Cup; these kids are going to play for the Indian senior team soon at World Cups and Olympics Games. They have to figure out a way to handle these situations; this is just a baby step.”
Seven-time champions Germany won’t be as forgiving. Having themselves come through an intense shootout against France in a repeat of last edition’s final, the men in pink would pose a sterner threat, just with their overall physicality. In Jasper Ditzer, they have another gem of a young goalkeeper. Known for their ruthless efficiency and discipline to play within the structures, Indian mistakes won’t go unpunished.
“I’ll let them be tonight because they have to go have dinner and sleep. But subah bahut zyada milne waala hai,” Sreejesh said, when asked if some stern words were in store for his players. And this time, it didn’t quite seem like Sreejesh was joking; it sounded like he meant it. It’s the tough love he was known for when he was standing between the posts for India over two decades. Star midfielder Manpreet Singh actually had said in an interview before Paris 2024 to this daily that he thrived on such ‘gaalis’ from Sreejesh. “I even like it when he scolds us on the field. Honestly, I keep telling him that I don’t have any problem, scold me if I have done anything wrong on the field. I feel good, knowing that he is there behind me.”
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This junior team too is finding out from Sreejesh what it takes to be on your toes in such tournaments. Before this World Cup, Sreejesh had spoken about sharing his experiences with the players, and that didn’t mean just remembering the medals. As many highs as Sreejesh had seen, he had seen an equal share of lows. Rohit and Co would hope to lean on that vast knowledge and turn out against Germany with a performance that is a few notches higher than what they produced against Belgium.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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