Friendlies with tough teams will tell us where we are placed: coach Dennerby

With India hosting FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2020 in less than a year's time, head coach Thomas Dennerby felt that playing against tough opponents will be right. He said that it will help in kwing where team was placed and what needed to improve. India will face Sweden and Thailand -- both nations rewned for ir prowess in women's football -- in   U-17 Women's Football Tournament 2019 in Mumbai from December 13-19.

"It is a very exciting time. It has been good to start learning about players both on and off pitch. So far from what I've seen, I can say that girls are very good and have been working very hard. Of course, re are things we need to develop and work on -- and that is reason we are here," Dennerby said on Monday.

'To understand team's standing'

Given quality of opposition side, Dennerby said matches will be a "nice start" to understand where team stands.
"We hope to have a good tournament. It is exciting to play friendlies against good opponents and it will be a nice start to see where we are at moment. It will also tell us areas of game where we need to work on". As 22-member Indian squad arrived in city on Monday, excitement and enthusiasm in team were palpable -- with tournaments set to record a number of firsts.

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It is first time India is hosting an international level tournament for girls at this level, and it will also mark this particular group's first appearance in national team jersey on home soil, with SAFF U-15 Women's title being annexed in Bhutan two months ago. This competition will also be a first for Thomas Dennerby as India Head Coach. Dennerby took charge of side in vember. 60-year Swede has named his 22-member squad after watching players in action at Hero U-17 Women’s Championship in Kalyani, followed by a training camp in Goa.

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 60-year-old UEFA Pro Diploma holder comes with a rich experience of 30 years of coaching in which he guided Sweden Women’s National Team to a third-place finish in FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011, and a quarterfinal spot in 2012 London Olympics. His last assignment was with Nigerian Senior Women’s National Team where he coached Super Falcons in FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019. He also guided Nigerian women to win AWCON 2018 and was awarded 2018 Coach of Year in Nigeria.

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U17 Women's football tournament 2019 will see India, Sweden and Thailand play each or once in a round-robin format. top two teams will qualify for finals on December 19.  teams of Thailand and Sweden shall be arriving in Mumbai on Wednesday (December 11, 2019). All matches will be played at Mumbai Football Arena, with group-st matches scheduled to kick-off at 6 pm. final is slated to start at 5.30 pm.

fixture for U17 Women’s Football Tournament is as follows:

• December 13, 2019 (Friday) - India vs Sweden
• December 15, 2019 (Sunday) - Sweden vs Thailand
• December 17, 2019 (Tuesday) - Thailand vs India
• December 19, 2019 (Thursday) - Final (Group winner vs Group runner-up)

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