Dalima Chhibber: Exposure trips to Brazil, Sweden was a big learning curve before the Asian Cup
The experience from making tournaments and exposure trips to places like Brazil and Sweden can be of good use to the Indian team when it competes in the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup, thinks hill Dalima Chhibber.
The continental tournament is scheduled to take place in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune from January 20 to February 6, and the host nation is preparing in earnest under the leadership of head coach Thomas Dennerby.
“A lot has changed, especially the number of exposure matches we have played in Brazil, Sweden, Turkey and so on. Brazil was a great learning curve for us, to see the hub of football culture and to understand what football really means to everyone there,” Chhibber told AIFF TV.
She said Dennerby, who had trained in his home country Sweden and Nigeria before taking over the Indian senior team in August, has helped develop mental toughness among the players.
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“The coach has given us a lot of confidence. He gives us a pep talk before every game, and he tells us how capable we all are and how much he and the staff believe in all of us. For me personally, it gives a lot of confidence to fight it,” she said.
“He has brought a mental toughness to the squad – whether it’s scanning, whether it’s running, whether it’s conditioning, whether it’s speed, whether it’s the technical aspect or whether it’s a tactical aspect.”
“We have been able to focus on each part of the game in detail. We have been able to highlight that we have been able to improve. We have been able to come together as a team and improve our game structure. Up to the Asian Cup.”
The Indian team will try to put on a great show in the continental tournament and secure a historic place at the 2023 FIFA World Cup.
“The dream for us is to reach the World Cup. So when we went to Brazil to play against Brazil, it was a dream come true. But like going to Brazil and playing against those teams was the beginning of a dream because we know where we have to be, “she said.
“It was just like a springboard. We realized what world football is like, and what kind of top-level football team plays in the World Cup and the Olympics play. So for us it was a very big learning curve.”