Injured Chettri will be included in Nehru Cup team

New Delhi: Chief football coach Bob Houghton said Monday that injured striker Sunil Chettri will be included in the 20-member squad for the Nehru Cup starting here Wednesday.

Houghton also said that the opening match against Lebabon will be crucial for the defending champions. `The opening match of the tournament will always be crucial for us. Lebanon are a good team and it will be a tough match for us,` said Houghton after the team`s training session.The Englishman said that he would release the final list after the manager`s meeting on the eve of the match here Tuesday. Chettri aggravated his ankle injury during the practice camp in Barcelona. He was carrying the injury on his right ankle for quite some time and aggravated it during the last practice game against Santboia FC in Barcelona Thursday. Houghton hopes that Chettri will get fit in time so that he can be used in the last crucial stages of the game. Chettri, however, is not sure when he would be fit. "Since Bob has taken me, he must have some plans. I will try to give my best as long as I am played," he told reporters. The Dempo player said that it would be tough for him since he is still recovering from the injury. "It is a tough task for me. I know it is not possible for me to find the form that I was in last year. But I am looking at it as a challenge and will give my best," he said. Houghton also has plans to start with Abhishek Yadav upfront and can also use defender Rahim Nabi as a forward. Both players are excited at the prospect of making the first eleven. "It is good sign that Bob is now having some options. I think it will also benefit the team keeping in mind that we are also preparing for the 2011 Asian Cup," Yadav said. Nabi feels that the change in role won`t be a problem for him. "Since my childhood I have been playing as a forward. I my club also I play the role of a forward so it won`t be a problem for me," said the newly appointed East Bengal captain. IANS