New Delhi. Former Indian national football team head coach Igor Stimac has finally spoken out after being removed from the post through a post on his social media handle. In his post, the Croatian thanked Indian football fans and the team management for their support during his struggling 5-year tenure with the team.
In an important virtual meeting with key officials of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on June 17, it was decided to remove Stimac as the head coach in view of the Indian team’s continued poor performance. Igor Stimac’s tenure as the head coach of the Indian national football team has been full of controversies and mixed results. Stimac, appointed in 2019, has faced criticism for his tactical decisions, team selection and game management.
Despite achieving some notable successes like winning three titles including the SAFF Championship and the Intercontinental Cup in 2023, his overall performance has been questioned by fans and pundits alike. These 5 years highlighted the Indian team’s consistent inability to achieve impressive results in major competitions like the FIFA World Cup qualifiers and the Asia Cup.
In his post, Stimac reflected on his association with Indian football fans and how proud he is of it. Stimac said in his post. “To all Indian football fans and my Blue Tigers. It has been an honour for me to serve you over the last 5 years. When I first joined you all, I did not expect to form such a strong bond with this country and be so personally connected. I am proud of every player and team member.”
AIFF has started the search for the new name by posting the job invitation on their social media handles, where they have clearly stated the criteria they are looking for in the head coach.