India football head coach Igor Stimac provided the fans with a huge update regarding his future with the national team. The Croatian, who has been in charge of the senior men’s team since 2019, in an interview stated that AFC Asian Cup 2023 will be his final assignment with the Blue Tigers.
India qualified for the continental tournament for the second successive time under Stimac. The team had defeated Cambodia, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong earlier this year in Kolkata to qualify for the Asian Cup 2023.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) had earlier extended Stimac’s contract until the Asian Cup 2023. The football governing body had then stated that the contract would get automatically renewed if the team secures the quarterfinal berth at the tournament.
However, in a recent interaction with Sportstar, when Stimac was asked if AIFF has given him any performance target, the Croatian said: “I am not planning to stay after the Asian Cup so the performance target does not apply there.
“I have done everything for the boys with passion and put all my knowledge for their development — be it man management, improvement of their technical ability, mindset, and fitness. I have also given them knowledge about nutrition and diet and this will basically complete the cycle of five years after the Asian Cup main round. So, it is logical that I stay with them till the end of the Asian Cup and then move on to my other plans.
“What I will do now is give everything I have and see that they not only qualify for the quarterfinals but move even further.”
After the conclusion of the qualifiers held at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, the Blue Tigers engaged in two practice matches against Singapore and Vietnam. While India managed to eke out a 1-1 draw against low-ranked Singapore, they endured a 0-3 defeat against Vietnam.