Feroz Khan
Top German football club Bayern Munich were in India for a friendly against the Indian national team that was also the farewell match of talismanic striker Baichung Bhutia. A day before the game, the two coaches Jupp Heynckes and Savio Medeira along with players from both the sides that included Baichung Bhutia, Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger addressed a press conference where they spoke at length on football and other things.
Savio Medeira- Indian national coach
As a coach what is your one wish for the Indian football team?
To qualify for the World Cup.
And how would you achieve that? What changes would you want to see for that to happen?
There are a lot of things that we wish for, lot of things to be changed if we want to go to that level, but I cannot directly pinpoint what the changes might be.
Philipp Lahm
How do you see the match against Indian team?
It is my first visit to the country and I am very much looking forward to the match and also meeting the people and getting to know the culture. It will be interesting to see what Indian football is all about. It is part of the learning process for us.
Your team recently defeated Qatar 13-0. Any predictions for the score line against India?
We have come here to win. We have come to play attractive football and we want to show what the top European football club is all about.
It is a real test for us and from next Friday the Bundesliga starts, so we are taking this very seriously.
How much do you know about Indian football?
To be honest, not much. We have seen Baichung Bhutia play for world XI and that is all we know about him. Indian football is not available in Germany, but we do watch a little cricket here and there.
Are there any plans of sightseeing?
First of all we are here for football. But certainly you do get an impression of the country when you drive from the airport to the hotel.
What are your first impressions of the country?
We have received a warm welcome which we expected and hoped for and hope that it will continue.
Do you think this is Germany`s best chance at winning the Euro?
Certainly our ambition is to win the European championship and would want to go ahead with it.
Bastian Schweinsteiger
What is your understanding of Indian food and ladies?
Well…I am more interested in women than the food. We have got our own cook, but maybe we will get a chance to taste some Indian food. About women, let`s see how many turn up for Tuesday`s match.
What is the status of your injury?
There is no problem with my shoulder, and I have fully recovered from the injury.
Can you predict the scoreline for us?
It is very difficult to predict a result. We will see how our opponents are and then accordingly decide the plan and strategy.
Jupp Heynckes-Coach Bayern Munich
What is your plan, line up for the game against India?
We are looking forward to playing in India. We want to learn more about the culture. It is my first visit to India and I am looking forward to interacting with the people.
We are coming from Qatar where we had been preparing for the second leg of Bundesliga. Everyone is fit and raring to go and we are looking forward to test the players ahead of the Bundesliga second leg.
We hope for a good match. We hope for an entertaining match, we hope people get to know about Bayern Munich.
Is there anything particular that makes Bayern Munich the top team in Bundesliga?
Well to start with, you need top players and work according to the latest and modern techniques of football and then try and impart the training and tactics to the players, improving them and getting the best out of them.
What kind of team are you going to field for Tuesday’s game?
We have come to play a serious match. We want to prove and show what top class European football is all about. We are among the top 5 clubs in Europe and hopefully we will show that in the game.
Who do you think are your biggest competitors in Champions League? Are you scared of Spanish giant Barcelona?
Well those of you who have seen us play in Champions League recently would know that we have been playing a high European standard football. This is something that we want to keep up. When you play against Real Madrid or Barcelona, you have to beat them on the field. I have eight years of coaching experience in Spain and have beaten Barca in their home.
First Published: Tuesday, January 10, 2012, 12:57