From Delhi to the Den

Book excerpt: From the Cypriot fourth division to the Indian national team, Stephen Constantine's career has taken the scenic route. Ever since leaving his home in Cyprus with nothing at the age of 16, Constantine has been used to life on the road; his sense of adventure dwarfed only by his appetite to improve and develop those he works with. That yearning for fresh experience has inevitably led Constantine into a host of unique situations. He has hugged a pitch- invading prince in Kathmandu. He has been threatened with kidnap in Khartoum. He has seen the Millwall chairman tip £10,000 onto the changing room floor, and he has watched his goalkeeping coach attack a pitch invader in Congo. Many in the game allege to have seen it all, but there is no one with a better claim to such a statement than Constantine, a veteran manager of six different national sides across four continents. But 'From Delhi to the Den' isn't simply a tale of one man planning his next coaching expedition in another far-flung corner of the world. Constantine explores the pressures of paying the mortgage when most jobs don't last 12 months, and the solitude of life on the road when your wife and children still reside thousands of miles away. We hear of how qualifications are trumped by reputations, and why dealing with Football Associations isn't exactly plain- sailing, especially with governmental interference. Constantine's journey -- for the time being, anyway -- ends up India, where he is looking to stir the passions and enhance the professionalism of Asia's sleeping giant. Progress has already been achieved, but nothing is finished yet. Anyone interested in football, travel, or adventure will love this book.