PANAJI
In a shocking turn of events, former India head coach Igor Stimac has made several bombshell claims following his sacking from the Indian football team. Stimac, who was relieved of his duties on June 17 after the team failed to progress to the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, does not see Indian football improving in the next 20 years.
In a virtual meet on Friday, Stimac accused the All India Football Federation (AIFF) of mismanagement and power-hungry behavior. "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," said Stimac. He further elaborated on the reasons behind his departure, expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of support and the presence of individuals with private interests within the AIFF.
Stimac revealed the immense stress he faced as head coach, to the point of requiring heart surgery before the Asian Cup. "I was not able to take the stress of the Indian coaching job," he confessed. He also alleged that no one in the AIFF knew how to run Indian football properly, accusing them of only caring about power. "The people in AIFF don’t know how to run a football house; they don’t know how to organize cups. These people only care about power," he said.
During his tenure, Stimac felt that the Indian team did not receive adequate technical help from the federation. He criticized the AIFF’s decision to have former player IM Vijayan preside over the technical committee without involving him in team activities. "IM Vijayan was a fantastic player, but he shouldn't be the one presiding over the technical committee. I told the AIFF president, Kalyan Chaubey, that during each camp, we should have one of the members of the TC be with the team and see our work. Did they send someone? No one was there," he lamented.
He also said that,"India is the only place in the world where football is not growing."
The AIFF announced Stimac’s sacking on June 17, following a disappointing campaign in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. This decision came just days after India’s controversial defeat against Qatar in the second round. Despite the challenges, the Indian football team enjoyed some success under Stimac’s guidance, winning four major trophies, including two SAFF Championships (2021 and 2023), one Intercontinental Cup, and a Tri-Nations Series in 2023.
Reflecting on his career, Stimac noted that this was the first time he had been sacked. "In my career, I’ve not been sacked till now; this was the first time. And it was wrongly so - in my reply to AIFF I’ve done the same," he stated.
Stimac accused the AIFF of feeding him with lies and surrounding him with individuals who had their own private interests. "It was impossible for me to continue without ample support. I was fed with lies and surrounded by people who have their private interests," he said.
As Indian football faces uncertainty, Stimac’s allegations have cast a spotlight on the internal workings of the AIFF. His departure marks a tumultuous period for Indian football, with fans and players alike hoping for a resolution that will pave the way for future success.
The AIFF is yet to respond to Stimac's claims, but the football fans especially in India will be watching closely to see how this situation will be and what steps will be taken to address the issues and allegations raised by the former head coach.
Stimac also said that the sooner Kalyan Chaubey leaves Indian football the better it is for Indian football.
Meanwhile, AIFF to issue statement within 48hrs.
In a statement, AIFF said that ‘It has come to our attention that former India men’s team head coach Mr. Igor Stimac has made certain remarks in the media pertaining to functioning of the All India Football Federation and some of its senior officials’. The AIFF will issue a statement in this regards in the next 48 hours.
