Former India manager Stephen Constantine has voiced sharp concern about the state of the country's football, saying the game is in a steep decline after earlier progress. The English coach, who previously guided India to a notable rise in the FIFA rankings, said he is disappointed by the current direction of the national setup.
Constantine also made clear that he feels he should still have been leading the team. His remarks reflect frustration not only with India's recent slide, but also with his own absence from the coaching picture despite his past success with the side.
Beyond the question of who coaches the team, Constantine argued that Indian football needs deeper structural change. He pointed to the importance of stronger planning and improved league management, suggesting that lasting progress will depend on how the broader system is run rather than short-term fixes alone.
He also offered a more grounded view of India's ambitions, saying the country must first establish control in its own region before thinking about reaching the World Cup level. The message underlines a wider belief that Indian football needs stability, reform and realistic milestones before it can aim higher on the global stage.
