The All India Football Federation reached an agreement with the Croatian coach over the compensation amount for being sacked a year before his contract expiration date. Stimac had earlier approached FIFA after AIFF refused to meet his demands regarding compensation.
"It has come to our attention that former India men’s team head coach Mr. Igor Stimac has made certain remarks in the media pertaining to functioning of the All India Football Federation and some of its senior officials," AIFF statement said.
Igor Stimac's five-year association came to an end with the Indian team after the All India Football Federation sacked him from the role of head coach. Stimac could not take India into the dream third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. Here's the timeline of Stimac's stay with India.
India had taken an early lead after Lallianzuala Chhangte found the back of the net in the first half. Brandon Fernandes's mishit shot was utilised well by Chhangte and India had a realistic reason to believe.
"We really need to win this game, and once we do, it gives us a great chance to go to the third round, which we have never done before," India football team captain Sunil Chhetri said ahead of his last international game against Kuwait on Thursday.
After a point-and-goalless AFC Asian Cup campaign, the Blue Tigers failed to win in two FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Afghanistan last month. India dropped 15 places to 116 after the Asian Cup and further slipped in the latest FIFA men's rankings on Thursday.
"We are rank outsiders in our group. Uzbekistan is one of the dark horses and a fantastic team, their players' physicality could cause problems. Australia are playing at the highest level of football and we all know what they are capable of, they are regular at World Cups," Stimac said.
Indian football team's head coach Igor Stimac had asked for a month long preparation camp but with the Indian Super League (ISL) also in progress, the franchises are not releasing their players. For the same reason, he has said that only World Cup Qualifiers are important for him and not Asian Cup.
After a famous 1-0 win against Kuwait, the Blue Tigers take on the Group A favourites Qatar in their opening game at home stadium, Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium. Qatar are the current Asian champions and famously hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
India's premier defender Sandesh Jhingan has been included in the Indian football team that will be participating in the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The team now looks more settled after Jhingan's inclusion and will be led by Sunil Chhetri.
India's football coach Igor Stimac opens up amid the controversy revolving around him taking help from an astrologer to pick the national team's starting XI.
Indian captain Sunil Chhetri is not featuring in the team for the King's Cup 2023 alongside Amrinder Singh and Subashish Bose.
India won the regional tournament after beating Nepal 3-0 in the final in Male on Saturday to hand Stimac his first trophy as in-charge of the team.
India have so far scored two goals in the ongoing SAFF Championships and both came through 37-year-old Chhetri, who equalled legendary Pele with his 77th strike in the match against Nepal.
India will play two friendlies against Nepal on September 2 and 5.
The Indian team's defensive mainstay Jhingan is expected to join Croatian top division club HNK Sibenik, making use of a clause that allows him to leave his current club ATK Mohun Bagan.
This was proposed by the AIFF's technical committee, headed by former India international Shyam Thapa.
The 53-year-old Croat took questions on the range of issues, ranging from his future to the drawbacks of the Indian Super League.
While Croatian World Cupper Stimac got an extension, Isac Doru did not get one after his contract expired around the same time as the Indian senior team head coach.
Due to the prolonged lockdown in the country, India players have got little foreign exposure in one-and-a-half years, with the friendlies against Oman and the UAE in Dubai in March being the only international outings.
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