Having got a fresh lease of life after living on the fringes for long, national team players Rahul Bheke and Brandon Fernandes hoped Tuesday that newly-appointed coach Igor Stimac would do "good things" for Indian football.
The team had its first practice session under the Croatian at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
The squad has assembled to prepare for the forthcoming Kings' Cup in Buriram, Thailand. The King's Cup begins on June 5, when the Blue Tigers take on Curacao in their first match.
The former Croatia national team manager wasted little time in formalities and got right into the thick of action aiming to lead the Blue Tigers on an upward surge after inspiring performances in the AFC Asian Cup earlier this year.
Speaking on the sidelines of the practice session, Bheke, who got his national team call-up said: "The coach greeted everyone with a namaste and shared his plans about Indian football."
Fernandes, who got a call-up to the national camp for the first time since 2015, stated: "I was training a bit in the off-season. But now I am here and I want to give my cent percent in every session."
Bheke signed off: "This is a chance which I can't afford to blow up. I will give my best in the camp."
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