Panaji: India's new football coach Bob Houghton said on Saturday he was happy with the selection of the team to play in the White Caps Nation Cup tournament in Vancouver, Canada, from July 17.
"This is the best available talent I had in hand to choose and I hope the Vancouver tour will help the boys to settle down quickly to the right formation and fitness level ahead of the Asian Cup qualifying matches against Saudi Arabia and Japan later this year," Houghton said after a friendly match against Crops of Signals.
When asked if Baichung Bhutia's absence will be felt, who announced his retirement earlier, the chief coach said it is a good opportunity for the other players to prove themselves.
The 20-member Indian team led by Mahindra United Medio S Venkatesh will play against Vancouver city club, Cardiff city club from England and Chinese U-20 side.
For Venkatesh, who has led the Indian side for the third time, said this is a "good opportunity for me to prove myself as a captain and hopefully we do well in the four teams series."
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