We wanted to show Indian football is developing and growing: Mahesh Gawli after India qualified for Under-20 Asian Cup

The Indian Under-20 team qualified for the AFC Under-20 Asian Cup for the first time in 20 years. The Blue Colts sealed qualification for the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 with a commanding 3-0 victory over Bangladesh in their final Group B qualifier in Tashkent recently. It was a particularly significant moment for head coach Mahesh Gawli. The former India international faced severe criticism after India’s defeat to Bangladesh in the SAFF U20 Championship final. But Gawli and his young side responded in emphatic fashion, beating the same opponents when it mattered most and securing qualification for the continental tournament.

In this exclusive conversation with Revsportz, Gawli reflects on India’s AFC U20 qualifying campaign, dealing with criticism following the SAFF U20 Championship final defeat, the team’s preparations for the next challenge, the importance of playing more friendlies against higher-ranked opposition, and his plans for the future.

You must be very satisfied after watching your wards qualify for the U20 Asian Cup…

Mahesh Gowli: It was the result of hard work from the boys. I think the hard work paid off. Everybody—the players and the coaching staff—worked very hard for this moment. It was not an easy group for us, with teams like Syria, Uzbekistan and Bangladesh. We went there with a plan and followed our strategy. Everybody worked hard for the country, and we achieved success.

India lost the U20 SAFF Cup final to Bangladesh, but then defeated them 3-0 in the crucial qualifier game. Was that a revenge match for you and the players?

Mahesh Gowli: No, I was focused only on the game because we needed to qualify. I told the boys that we had lost the SAFF U20 Championship final against the same opponent and that we needed to play better football this time. We wanted to show that Indian football is developing and growing. I told the players to remain calm and composed and not become aggressive. When you become aggressive, you can lose your strategy and your style of play. I told them to play with confidence and focus on the game because it was very important for us to win and get those three points. They did exactly that. They worked very hard and remained composed. Whatever aggression was there, they overcame it. I told them about the importance of togetherness. Only when you are together can you achieve something.

Since taking over as head coach in March, it hasn’t been a smooth ride. How have you coped with the challenges?

Mahesh Gowli: The SAFF U20 Championship was my first assignment. People don’t know the real story. I took over the team without any preparation and without knowing the players. I had just one training session before the first match against Pakistan. It was difficult because Pakistan, Bangladesh and the other teams had been preparing for almost a month, while we had no preparation. Winning 3-0 against Pakistan was not easy. It was a very tough challenge for me. The boys did very well. Yes, we lost to Bangladesh in the final, but I was impressed with their attitude and the way they adapted to our style of play. They gave their best and handled the situation well. After that, during the U20 Asian Cup qualifiers, I realised what I wanted to do. I worked out where we needed to improve and how we needed to play. We had our strengths, but it was still a challenge. Ultimately, it was collective hard work.

Despite having limited time to prepare for the AFC Under-20 Asian Cup qualifiers, the team put up a good show.

Mahesh Gowli: The preparation was very important. We had local friendly games against clubs from Bengaluru and then played against Bengaluru FC’s main team, with several experienced players involved. We lost that game 0-3, but the boys played very well. They dominated our other games, winning three and drawing one. Those matches were the right pathway and a wake-up call for us. I told the boys that this was the kind of pressure and intensity we would face in Uzbekistan. We also played friendlies against Singapore and Yemen. We won both matches. The Yemen game was particularly important because we knew the intensity would be similar to what we would face in the qualifiers. It was good motivation for the players. They understood that the matches in Uzbekistan would be even more intense, and they prepared accordingly.

How are you planning to prepare for the AFC Under-20 Asian Cup, which is five months away?

Mahesh Gowli: We will definitely look to play more friendly matches against higher-ranked teams that have already qualified. We need games with that kind of intensity because the quality at the U20 Asian Cup will be much higher. We need to raise our bar and identify where we were lacking in these three games. We have to improve those areas and prepare ourselves for the intensity of playing against the 16 teams that will participate. We want to play more international friendlies which will give more exposure for our players. I think that will help us perform better and achieve a good result.

What impressed you most about the current crop of U20 players?

Mahesh Gowli: All the players were very good. They listened to me, which was a big plus point because the Under-20 age-group can be difficult to manage. But these boys were totally focused on the goal and what we wanted to achieve. Every day, I told them that it was possible if we stayed together. The senior players, including Sumit, Shami, Danny and goalkeeper Suraj, handled things very well. They maintained discipline and gave 100 per cent in training. Of course, there are areas where we need to improve, but I feel the quality of Indian football is growing. I want these players to continue developing. I saw a change in their attitude. Every training session was very good, and we were improving day by day, whether it was in friendly matches, team meetings or training sessions. This was a very good group for me.

Would you request the AIFF to arrange more international friendlies against stronger and higher-ranked opponents before the U20 Asian Cup?

Mahesh Gowli: We have already spoken about it. The boys definitely need more exposure and matches against higher-quality teams. AIFF have told us that they are working on it and the process is going on. I am positive, and they are also positive because they know it will not be easy at the Asian Cup. There will be higher-quality teams, and we need to perform well against them. We will definitely do the best we can.

The UAE-born Indian-origin player, Hakeem Ali, was part of the squad. Would you like to see more such overseas-based Indian-origin talents joining the team?

Mahesh Gowli: Absolutely, if I get a better player than the ones already in the squad, why not? The door is always open. Anybody can come in, but they need to prove that they are better than the players who are already here. If they are better, I will definitely go for them.

Follow RevSportz for latest sports news

The post We wanted to show Indian football is developing and growing: Mahesh Gawli after India qualified for Under-20 Asian Cup appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.