March 31, 2025: Former India men’s football team head coach, Igor Stimac, recently opened up about the two key solutions he had proposed during his tenure that he believed could have significantly improved the sport in India. Speaking to Revsportz, Stimac revealed that these ideas were not new, as they had been discussed even before his stint, but he felt they were vital for the progress of Indian football.
Stimac, who took over the reins of the Indian football team in 2019, replacing Stephen Constantine, had a mixed five-year tenure. Although he was dismissed in June 2024 following poor performances in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification campaign, he had always believed that some changes could have positively impacted the national team’s performance. His tenure, however, was marred by controversies, including claims about consulting an astrologer for team selection, which further fueled debates around his methods.
In his recent interview, Stimac explained two major solutions that he had tried to implement for the betterment of Indian football.
1. Inclusion of Foreign-Based Indian-Origin Players:
Stimac emphasized that the inclusion of foreign-based Indian-origin players had been discussed long before his time. He mentioned that even previous head coach Bob Houghton had suggested this approach, but it was never fully embraced by the authorities. Stimac believed that bringing these players into the fold would strengthen the national team by tapping into a pool of more experienced and high-caliber talent, which could elevate the level of play.
2. More Time for National Team Preparation:
The second solution that Stimac championed was the need for more time to work with the national team. He stressed that the Indian Super League (ISL) calendar needed to be adjusted to allow the national team to have more focused preparation time. Stimac highlighted that while the ISL had contributed significantly to Indian football, the scheduling often made it difficult for coaches to work with the team regularly and build strong team chemistry and preparation. He argued that the competition calendar needed to be more aligned with the national team’s goals for success.
Despite his efforts, Stimac revealed that he was unable to convince the decision-makers in Indian football to implement these changes. The failure to alter the footballing structure and calendar for the betterment of the team marked a significant disappointment for the Croatian coach, who had hoped that these changes would eventually lead to success on the international stage for India.
Stimac’s departure from the team left many questioning the future of Indian football, especially with the challenges the team faced in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. While Stimac’s ideas about improving the structure of Indian football and bringing in foreign-based players could have had a transformative impact, his inability to implement them highlights the struggles faced by coaches in the country’s footballing ecosystem.