Following AFC on foreign players would be suicidal: Stimac

India head coach says it would help the national team if I-League is an Indians-only competition in future.

Igor Stimac said it would be “suicidal” if India followed the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) rule of allowing six foreign players from 2023-24. “We have been there, such a thing put Indian football behind by seven or eight years,” the India coach said in an interview.

India national coach Igor Stimac. (AIFF)

The Indian Super League (ISL) started with six imports allowed on the pitch and it was in 2021-22 that the number was pruned to four including one Asian. But no sooner had India’s apex league done that, AFC ratified increasing the number of foreigners to six (5+1) from 2023.

It would be all right for Japan, Australia and South Korea, or a top league in Europe which “has great infrastructure, many great coaches, academies and so many kids involved in structured football.” Not India which needs to grow the sport. “Most of the boys in the national team now started playing competitive football when they were 15, which is seven to eight years late,” said Stimac.

To remedy that, Stimac said the All India Football Federation (AIFF) also needs to re-look at I-League. “It should be a platform for young Indian strikers, centre-backs and attacking midfielders. As per me, I would like the I-League without foreign players in future.” Clubs in I-League should look at a module where they help Indian players mature and sell them to ISL teams, he said. “This should be a big part of their revenue.”

Given that I-League winners have an AFC Cup berth and are supposed to be promoted to ISL in 2024, clubs could find that contentious but then, Stimac said the national team is on top of the pyramid and that everything should be done to serve it.

Club-country balancing act

Stimac flies from Split in Croatia on Wednesday for Pune, via Zagreb, Doha and Mumbai, for a camp beginning on Thursday. He has called the players ahead of friendlies in Bahrain on March 23 and 26 but even before they assemble, Stimac had to release four from Mumbai City FC to help them prepare for the Asian Champions League. Also, Mumbai City’s Rahul Bheke, Bipin Singh and Apuia (Lalengmawia Ralte) will be released after the Bahrain game, he said. Danish Farooq, Anwar Ali, Nikhil Poojari and Ruivah Hormipam have been added to the list replacing Glan Martins, Ashique Kuruniyan, Sunil Chhetri and Suresh Wangjam who are injured, he said.

With ATK Mohun Bagan also playing AFC Cup qualifiers, the club-country tightrope walk will continue through April and May as Stimac readies India for the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers in June. Stimac’s plan ahead of the games against Cambodia, Afghanistan and Hong Kong is to have a six week camp in Kolkata during which he wants to play a tournament abroad in May and one friendly “against a good opponent seven days before the qualifiers.”

After no internationals in 2020 and playing games without long preparatory camps in 2021, it fit that Stimac would say, “finally we have enough time to do good preparation and play stable football.”

The friendlies are a step in that direction though the Croat said he isn’t expecting much because there could be “heavy legs”. ISL being hit by Covid-19 led to the season getting longer and reduced his preparation time by five days.

“This is making it difficult but not impossible. We have lots of talent in our team, we have a great relationship inside the dressing room and I don’t mind the rest. I don’t mind the critics because we have the circle which will never be affected by things happening around us,” he said, drawing one with his arm in the Zoom call.

Stimac’s team did that in the SAFF Championships in October, India’s last international assignment, starting poorly before cantering to their eight title. “Listen, I am experienced enough. I was under-20 world champion and a bronze medallist at the World Cup. I know how to get there, I went through that. And I don’t mind when some people start criticising too early. That’s motivating me even more,” he said.

Praise for Colaco, Manvir

That most young players who made India debuts last year have improved bodes well for Stimac. “Young players have ups and downs. Of course, it is easier to perform in the ISL which is still missing some pace, some tactical commitment needed for a higher level for international football. But most of the boys went up with their form.

“Liston Colaco: it’s obvious that he is becoming a very important part of ATK Mohun Bagan and national team also, Akash (Mishra), Ashish (Rai) have also kept good form. Apuia was in solid but was not impressive as the previous year.”

While Stimac welcomed the return of Sandesh Jhingan —“our leader at the back,” he said— he has been out with injury for long. This could be an opportunity to check out central defenders Ali and Hormipam and use left-footed Subhasish Bose to pair with either of Chinglensana Singh, Narender Gahlot, Deepak Tangri or Pritam Kotal.

“We have options and they are getting bigger as more Indians are getting chance in centre-back positions. So many Indian goalscorers, so many Indians providing assists and getting more involved in the final third. In previous seasons it was foreign players occupying these positions,” said Stimac.

Chhetri’s absence is a “wonderful” opportunity for other forwards to step up. “Manvir proved when (Roy) Krishna was not there that he can play as centre-forward,” said Stimac.

“He (Manvir) is a player with much more confidence. He is a player bringing fear to opposition. To play better sides, we need boys who are physical, have enough pace and understand the game very well. Not everyone who is doing great in ISL can play international football, people need to understand that. It’s about character also.”

Singh has bulked up over the past three years, courtesy of a programme designed by Luka ‘Professor’ Radman, India’s strength and conditioning coach, said Stimac. Ditto Sahal Abdul Samad, who has had a good season with Kerala Blasters. “He (Sahal) needs to repeat those wonderful things more often. He shouldn’t be shy on the pitch. He can provide great balls forward, can dribble but he needs to improve shooting from outside the box. He is becoming complete player because he has been provided chance to play. And he is hard working.”

The goalkeepers have been a worry though. “I think in general goalkeepers had a nightmare season. I don’t know why but it has been obvious only Prabhsukhan Gill was in good form throughout. We have already have a plan made for Gurpreet (Singh Sandhu) to put him under pressure from the very first day to bring him back to the form needed to represent the national team and to say as No 1,” said Stimac.

Confident of qualifying

India haven’t played at home since October 15, 2019. Asked if playing at home could be a double-edged sword for what is a largely young, Stimac said: “I would never say that. I would rather play in front of full house in Kolkata or anywhere in India. We are aware that the presentation against Bangladesh was not as we wished so there is something we need to pay back to the supporters who were wonderful that day,” he said, referring to the come-from-behind 1-1 draw at a packed Salt Lake stadium.

“The good thing is that we are opening against Cambodia and it might be, in some ways, an easier game. I say this without underestimating anyone so we need to be aware and start the qualifiers with three points. How to get there, that will be done in the six weeks of preparations at our camp. We are going to find the balance we found during the SAFFF competition; a team which can defend well, play a high line with a back four or back three and be creative in the final third. I am confident that we will be participating in the final stages and doing well in the Asian Cup.”