AFC ASIAN CUP: Working with India is a ‘challenge’ says medical team

by Vineet Varma January 12, 2019

Abu Dhabi, January 12, 2019: A medical team operating tirelessly from behind the scenes is a must-have for any squad to remain competitive and physically fit.

That is what India coach Stephen Constantine has always maintained.

The medical team consisting of Dr. Shervin Shreiff and physiotherapists Gigy George and Pratik Kamble do their bit to ensure that the Blue Tigers recover in time and remain fit.

Gigy who has been with the Blue Tigers since 2011 takes every single day in the India camp as ‘a new challenge.’

“The fitness level of the players has significantly gone up in last a few years. Take for example Jeje Lalpekhlua. Since he first played for India in 2012, he has physically improved,” said Gigy.

“We need to thank the AIFF for providing us with all the modern physiotherapy equipment we have requested. Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy Machine, Wireless Complex, Recovery Boots, etc, make the recovery process faster and smoother. The introduction of sports science by Danny Deigan (since 2015) and Joel Carter (since 2017) have also yielded results,” he added.

Dr. Shervin Sheriff, who joined the set-up two years ago, said that the AFC Asian Cup is a ‘next-level test’ for the medical team.

“The schedule is decided from prior. We start the day with a morning screening. Depending on the screening results, players are treated as per their requirements. During the training sessions, we track every player and follow the proceedings,” said Sheriff.

Kamble said that he learnt a lot from ‘Gigy-sir’ and added that working with the Blue Tigers was a ‘challenge’.

“The primary challenge of working with the National Team is the time constraint. Before the friendlies, or in a tournament where we’re playing more than 2 games in less than a week, the job is tougher. The decision making and execution has to be apt and accurate,” he concluded.

AIFF MEDIA

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