With India not playing cricket, football has been the toast of the country over the past month. Two title triumphs — the Inter Continental Cup in Bhubaneswar on June 15 and the SAFF Championship in Bangalore on July 4 — have given Indian football a new lease of life. Suddenly names like Jeakson Singh, Sahal Abdul Samad, Lallianzuala Chhangte and Gurpreet Singh are being talked about. And yes, soon-to-be-39 Sunil Chhetri is still there like old wine.
But one man, much ridiculed until a year ago, got the lion’s share of affection from football fans — Igor Stimac, head coach of the national football team.
India’s recent success — beginning with the qualification in 2022 for next year’s AFC Asian Cup — has been attributed to this man.
After Stimac needlessly picked up a red card during the Pakistan match on the first day (June 21) of the SAFF Championships and was banned for the next match,he tweeted: “Football is all about passion, especially when you defend the colours of your country. You can hate or love me for my actions yesterday, but I am a warrior…”
The tweet was lapped up by hyper-nationalists.
Conveniently, they forgot that given the strained relations with Pakistan, the self-proclaimed warrior’s action could have triggered a law and order problem in the stadium. As for Stimac, he kept his “I will do it again” promise and after returning from a match suspension, he once again earned a red card — as usual not necessary — and this time got a two-game ban for the semifinals and finals.
His employers, the All India Football Federation, panicked and had a talk with him. There were no sanctions though. Reason: “The team has been doing well under him”. And when India won the SAFF Championship beating Kuwait, a euphoric federation president Kalyan Chaubey jumped onto the Croat. Red cards and suspensions were forgotten.
In the past too Stimac had courted trouble. Once he criticised Qatar for stringent quarantine rules and then had to praise the Gulf country the next day. He angered then coach Antonio Lopez Habas by saying he doesn’t enjoy watching ATK Mohun Bagan and would always prefer Manolo Marquez’s Hyderabad FC.
Someone who interacts with Stimac quite often but would not like to be identified calls him “a very smart mind”. He follows Narendra Modi on Twitter and sports minister Anurag Thakur too. He also follows the AIFF president and the secretary-general Shaji Prabhakaran, the second most important man in the federation. And some might remember how he says it was a speech by former President Ram Nath Kovind — during a visit to Croatia — which inspired himto come to India.
Stimac, 55, took over the reins in 2019. He came with an enviable record as a player and his coaching credentials were more or less impressive. The former Croatia national coach — famed internationals like Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic played under him — gave a presentation which impressed the technical committee. “His presentation had clarity,” recalls one member. That was when NCP “rebel” Praful Patel was at the helm. And within months India played a goalless draw against current Asian champions Qatar in Doha. Newspapers splashed the achievement on top of the page, the place generally booked for cricket.
It was followed by some forgettable outings but in the last year, things have been falling into place. A stickler for discipline and fitness, Stimac, along with his long-time associate, strength and conditioning coach Luka Radman, has instilled a sense of confidence amongst the Indian players who can now survive two 120-minute matches within 72 hours.
Under Stimac, India have also started to avoid playing the long ball style. Remember the build-up to the first goal against Lebanon during the Intercontinental Cup final? That goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is now more comfortable with the foot is a testament to Stimac’s hard work. All the outfield players will tell you that “passing football” is what makes them feel at home. And that’s a major psychological shift from the negative thinking that clouded the footballers’ minds.
During his playing days, Stimac, a central defender, was known as a tough nut to crack. He was part of the Yugoslavia squad that won the under-20 World Cup in 1987. He was a vital cog in the Croatia wheel that finished third in the 1998 World Cup. “With a little bit of luck, we could have been in the final,” is his line. And he continues to command a lot of respect and admiration among younger footballers in Croatia. Only last week, Stimac, who is currently on vacation back home, shared a video of Real Madrid’s Luka Modric paying him a visit. It is not often that Modric, one of the greats of modern football, goes home calling.
Stimac is a delight to talk to. He will tell you stories about how footballers hide in the washroom and smoke at half-time, about his highest regard for Arsene Wenger, and his prediction that compatriot Josko Gvardiol will be the highest-paid defender in the world. He will also, very politely, tell the bartender all about storing wine bottles at the perfect temperature.
India, over the years, have seen quite a few foreign football coaches. But only Belgrade-born Milovan Ciric (1980s) and Englishman Bob Houghon (2006-11) have left a lasting impression. Stimac is definitely on that list.
After the Patel regime ended last year and the new dispensation assumed charge, he was given a contract till the Asian Cup in Doha slated for January-February 2024. If he manages to take the team to the last-eight stage, Stimac will get an extension.
It’s a ridiculous idea but he has taken the challenge. It would be a Herculean task to qualify for the second round, let alone playing in the quarters. Well before that, he will have to fight for a longer camp before the Asian Cup. He has his captain Chhetri’s support in that.
The road to Doha is full of twists and turns but Stimacis known for his unflinching determination.
