The whole nation may be cheering the Indian football team’s recent happy tidings, but the man at the helm is not letting himself go with the flow.
Igor Stimac, the Croatian guide and mentor of the bunch which won the three nations trophy, Intercontinental Cup and the SAFF Cup for the ninth time, said unequivocally, “I’m not happy.”
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Stimac left for his home in Croatia on Tuesday night, even before the revelry of India’s SAFF victory had died down. Talking to TOI on Friday, the Croatian said, “The boys are carrying the bad habits from ISL. Decision-making in the final third is poor. They look to pass where shooting to score is necessary.”
The 1998 World Cupper, who an integral part of the U-20 World championship winning Yugoslavia team which boasted of legends like Robert Prosinecki, Zvonimir Boban and Davor Suker, doesn’t conceal his discontent over the way the leagues are conducted in India.
“Certain things need to change and change fast. There must be a clear acceptance of my plan and it has to happen within the coming weeks. We cannot wait till January for that conversation to start,” said Stimac. Stimac’s contract runs out after the Asian Cup which finishes on February 10. The future course is still not chalked. In between, India play the King’s Cup, the Merdeka Cup, the Asian Games (U-23) and the World Cup qualifiers. His message to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is loud and clear.
Taking charge of the national team in 2019, Stimac feels India is in phase-II of the developmental process. “Mindset has changed and they can play with intensity for 120 minutes. These are good signs.”
What Stimac dislikes is the speed at which the changes are getting implemented. “We in India are not living in the real world. The gap with the rest of our competitors will only increase if we drag our feet. We have to decide whether we want to p lay in India and be happy or (go out and) try to compete with the rest of the world.”
The current string of successes, Stimac feels, have shown that Indian boys can compete with proper planning and adequate time for preparation. “But hiding behind FIFA regulations of releasing players just five days before a competition won’t work. Those rules are made for the world’s best players. And we are nowhere near that level.”
Time is something Stimac wants, like most of his predecessors did. Happy that finally the criticism has vanished and people are seeing the result of his work, Stimac reflected on India captain Sunil Chhetri. “I would like him to play for the national team at least as long as I am here. Unlike others who ask when Sunil will ret ire, I would do everything to keep him playing. From the day I joined I have been hearing about his age. But what counts is his fitness, commitment, passion, hunger and leader ship skills. He is the best player India has ever had and his record speaks for it.”
When asked about Brazil’s decision to hire European knowhow (Carlo Ancelotti) in search of World Cup success, Stimac said, “Obviously, they understand the need to change their approach. It was necessary to bring the players out of their comfort zones. He will manage the distractions, that the Brazil players often get mixed up with, better.”
