7 things Igor Stimac said after getting sacked by AIFF
Former Indian football team head coach Igor Stimac interacted with the media through a LIVE session after AIFF sacked him after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers.
Former Indian football team head coach Igor Stimac interacted with the media through a LIVE session after AIFF sacked him after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers.
Heartbroken to be honest. Wonderful journey we've been on for five years. But suddenly we could not go on due to the responsible people at AIFF. I'm sad that the project stopped when the team was functioning with a different approach in a different area.
Not surprised about parting ways. Most of my senior players knew I had decided to leave even after had qualified for the 3rd round. It was impossible for me to go on without proper support, full of lies and people who had only private interests.
I had spoken to FSDL to have a calendar where both parties are mutually satisfied ahead of Asian Games and Asian Cup. But AIFF arranged games without consulting me; they accepted King's Cup and Merdeka Cup. So FSDL couldn't do anything for our team. I was very angry at that time.
After I told them that World Cup qualifiers were more important than Asian cop, I received the 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 Asian Cup to give the best shot.
I came with an open heart to Indian football but your football is imprisoned. It will take a couple of decades for things to improve which I don't see happening.
IM Vijayan was a fantastic player but he shouldn't be the one presiding over the Technical Committee. I told the AIFA president Kalyan Chaubey that during each camp we should have one of the members of the TC to be in the team and see what kind of work we do and what we provide our players. You think they send someone? No one was there.
I have not been sacked till now. This was the first time. And it was wrongly so- in my reply to AIFF, I have done the same.
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