Stephen Constantine's assistant joins Indian football team

Guwahati: Assistant coach Daniel Darrel Deigan, who has the experience of working with A-League clubs, on Friday joined the Indian football team that recorded a facile 2-0 over victory Nepal in the first leg of its premliminary 2018 World Cup qualifying match.

Deigan will be in charge of fitness, rehabilitation and injury prevention.

An Australian by birth, Deigan supervised the players' 'recovery' session a day after the win over Nepal at the training pitch adjacent to the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium in Sajusarai.

Deigan has a masters degree in strength and conditioning.

He has earlier worked in the A-League and with clubs and is an expert in strengthening, conditioning and rehabilitation.

"It's important to plan the diet and the eating habits of the players and at any given time," Constantine stated.

"Football is all about detail and someone who pays attention to it is required. Danny will add something to the national team which it never had and it will have its impact, both in the short term as well as long term," the Briton reiterated.

The new coach has laid special emphasis on fitness and conditioning as it was very much visible in the manner India played in the first home-match against Nepal.

The stamina of the players seemed to increase as the match progressed.

The Indian team will be leaving for Kathmandu for the return leg match on March 14. The game is slated for March 17.