Constantine thanks players, AIFF after resignation

Indian football team coach Stephen Constantine on Monday took to social media to thank the federation and players for their support during his four-year stint.

"Really proud of our @IndianFootball team achievements over the last 4 years and appreciative of all of the support from the AIFF, the players, our support staff and the wonderful fans. Jai Hind," Constantine wrote on his Twitter handle.

Constantine stepped down from his post on Monday night after India's 0-1 loss to Bahrain in their last Group A match at the Asian Cup in Sharjah. That defeat saw them crash out of the tournament despite a spirited display.

The decisive goal came in second half stoppage time when defensive midfielder Pronay Halder's mistimed tackle brought down Bahrain's Hamad Al Shamsan inside the Indian penalty box.

The Indians had started their campaign in explosive fashion with a 4-1 thrashing of higher rated Thailand. They dominated hosts and group favourites United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their second match but wasted a bagful of chances before going down 0-2.

--IANS

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