Do not know when I will retire: Chhetri

BENGALURU: India skipper and veteran striker Sunil Chhetri on Friday played down talks about his retirement, saying that he had not put any timeline for himself to bid adieu to the sport.

Chhetri is 38 years old but still continues to be the spearhead of the India attack, evidenced by the five goals he has netted in the ongoing SAFF Championship here. “I do not know when my last game for the country is going to be. It derives from the fact that I have never had long-term targets. I think about the next match, the next 10 days. It (retirement) may come at a day when probably I do not want to, as there are a lot of things, and I will be done. Till that time, I [will] never think about it,” Chhetri said on the eve of India’s semi-final against Lebanon.

Chhetri, the second highest international scorer from Asia with 91 goals (behind Iran’s Ali Daei – 109), said that he had set some “parameters” to determine when to hang his boots.

“Whether I am contributing to the team or not, whether I am able to score goals or not, training as hard as I want or not. These are some of the markers that will tell me whether I am good for this team or not. The day I see that it is (they are) not there, I am done, I am gone because there is no other motivation for me to play.

“But sadly, I cannot tell whether it (retirement) is in one year or six months. The day I am finished with my petrol or diesel or electric or whatever, I am (will be) done,” said Chhetri.