File image of the India women’s soccer team. AIFF

New Delhi: Grateful to the government of Jharkhand for allowing them to camp at Jamshedpur in the middle of COVID-19[female[feminine pandemic, the players of the Indian women’s football team hope to make the most of it ahead of the AFC Asian Cup.

The team gathered in Jamshedpur for the preparatory camp leading up to the continental event, which is due to take place in India next January.

At a time when the pandemic has affected normal life, the players are delighted to be back at the national camp.

Captain Ashalata Devi said: “Keeping in mind the current pandemic situation around the world, it is not easy to set up such camps for sporting events. We are extremely grateful that the government of the Jharkhand and AIFF have come together to organize this camp for the team.

“We only hope to move forward together in our preparation for the Asian Cup,” she said.

The Indian women had previously traveled twice on international exhibition tours to Turkey and Uzbekistan, where they had performed in Uzbekistan, Belarus, Ukraine and Russia earlier this year.

The new head coach of the team, Thomas Dennerby, has more than 30 years of experience leading several successful national teams.

The holder of the UEFA Pro diploma had guided the Swedish women’s national team to a third place at the 2011 FIFA World Cup and a place in the quarter-finals of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

He was also the head coach of the Nigeria Women’s National Team and guided the Super Falcons to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. He also helped Nigerian women win the AWCON 2018 award and received the 2018 Coach of the Year Award in Nigeria.

“To be back in the camp is absolutely great. Personally, I am even more delighted because I am back after a long injury. But we are all aware of the enormous task that lies ahead of us, to prepare for the Cup. Asia, ”said winger Sanju. Yadav said.

“Everyone is motivated, and our new coach Thomas Dennerby has been very helpful on and off the pitch as well. He has coaching experience at the highest level, and we are all eager to learn as much as possible from him. . “

Midfielder Sangita Basfore considers the Indian women’s team “one big family”.

“We are like one big family. We can now focus on preparing for the Asian Cup, and I can guarantee everyone is very motivated. We are all very grateful to the government of Jharkhand for welcoming us to Jamshedpur. “Sangita said.