Team India get their AFC Asian Cup 2024 campaign underway on the 13th of January with hopes of a deep run in the continental competition and the side’s head coach Igor Stimac spoke about the development the team has gone through in the past couple of years despite the various challenges face by the Blue Tigers on and off the pitch.
“When I look back to when we started 4.5 years ago, and everything that has happened since, I am amazed at how much we have done,” Stimac began.
“Reconstruction of NT, 2 years pandemic – we survived everything. Now, we need to do our best. The sad thing is we are going to miss very important players in our team in this Asian Cup. It will lower our strength, but whoever the players are there in place of those players needs to do the job for us,” the Croat said.
Stimac touched upon the high standard of the Asian event and opined that the experiences the players pick up from these high-level tournaments as a key to further improvement down the road.
“Realistically, we can hold on to something in the Asian Cup. But to expect enormous achievement is not reality,” the 56-year-old said.
Stimac also spoke about having an eye on the World Cup qualifiers against Afghanistan following the conclusion of the Asian Cup.
“We need to use these games to gain experience, to do the best we can. After that, we will hope the players make a comeback and be ready for the World Cup Qualifiers against Afghanistan, home and away. These two games might be crucial for our World Cup qualification, to finish in the second spot.”
India head into the tournament on the back of an incredible encouraging year in which the Blue Tigers hoisted the Intercontinental Cup, the SAFF Championship and the Tri-Nation Cup titles, and Stimac expressed that the fan following the victories have helped create were the biggest reward for the team’s hardwork.
“It is the best thing that can happen to one coach or one football team! These fans are the best reward for our results in the recent past. I appreciate them and know that they will be there, It will be helpful. With their help, we can give 120%,” Stimac asserted.
Stimac also thanked the role the AIFF played in roping in set piece coach Trevor Sinclair to assist the Croatian with his duties at the helm of the Blue Tigers.
“I never mention results to my players. Just go out there, represent your country in the best possible way and leave everything on that pitch. We do not have much time, but we’re going to do it with pride. With great support of AIFF, they allowed us to bring Trevor Sinclair in such a short time.”
India will take on Uzbekistan and Syria after they open the tournament against Australia at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Qatar on Friday.
“We do not have time to complain about nothing. We got what we got. We are here and getting prepared in the best possible way to represent the country. So, that is all we are focused on at this moment,” the gaffer concluded.
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