Cricket
Indian football body notes Igor Stimac’s explosive remarks, promises response soon
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The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Friday said it has noted sacked coach Igor Stimac’s comments about the administration of the sport in the country and that it would respond to the allegations “in the next 48 hours”. The football body’s comments came after Stimac vented it out in an explosive press conference, days after he was sacked as the head coach of the senior national team.
Igor Stimac took a direct jibe at AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, saying the sport will grow in the county only if he leaves the post. The Croatian tactician said India is the only country in which football, as a sport, is not growing.
“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. The AIFF will issue a statement in this regards in the next 48 hours,” the AIFF said in a statement on Friday.
Igor Stimac had promised to give his account of the Indian football saga and sent a message to his “media friends” on Thursday. During a lengthy press conference on Friday, 4 days after he was sacked, Stimac lashed out at the administration, saying Indian football is “imprisoned”. Stimac, who was part of the Croatian team that finished third in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, also said he was tried of “lies and unfulfilled promises” during his tenure.
I WAS WRONGLY SACKED: STIMAC
Stimac, who was appointed in 2019, was sacked after India failed to make it to the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. India were held to a tame 0-0 draw in Kolkata earlier in the month before losing to Qatar 2-1 in Doha.
“In my career, I’ve not been sacked till now, this was the first time. And it was wrongly so – in my reply to AIFF I’ve done the same,” Stimac said on Friday.
“It was impossible for me to continue without enough support, I was fed up of the lies, the unfulfilled promises and being surrounded by people who are only thinking about their own interests,” Stimac said from Croatia.
Stimac also said he was warned before the AFC Asian Cup earlier this year after he tried to educate the administrators about the importance of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The Croatian said the stress related to the job during that phase forced him to undergo surgery for a heart condition.
“After I told them that the World Cup Qualifiers were more important than the Asian Cup, I received a final warning from AIFF. When I received the final warning on December 2, no one knows this, I finished in the hospital.
“I was disturbed with everything going on; stressed from the obvious problems. I had an immediate surgery on my heart. I wasn’t ready to speak to anyone or find excuses. I was ready to put myself on the line to prepare my team for the Asian Cup to give them the best shot,” Stimac said.
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