India’s football coach Igor Stimac has expressed his confidence and optimism ahead of the AFC Asian Cup 2023, which will kick off in Qatar on January 12. The Croatian tactician said that India is a sleeping giant in football and that he and his players are determined to wake it up and make it competitive at the continental and global level.
This will be India’s fifth appearance at the Asian Cup, the prestigious tournament that features the best 24 teams in Asia. India qualified for the tournament by finishing third in their group in the second round of the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers, behind Qatar and Oman. India’s previous appearances at the Asian Cup were in 1964, 1984, 2011 and 2019.
India has been drawn in Group B of the Asian Cup 2023, along with Australia, Uzbekistan and Syria. India will face Australia in their opening match on January 13, followed by Uzbekistan on January 18 and Syria on January 23. India’s best performance at the Asian Cup was in 1964, when they finished as runners-up.
Stimac’s vision and strategy for Indian football
Stimac, who took charge of the Indian team in May 2019, has been vocal about his vision and strategy for Indian football. He has emphasized on the need to develop a strong football culture, infrastructure and grassroots level in the country, which has a population of 1.4 billion people and is mainly obsessed with cricket. He has also advocated for a more attractive and attacking style of play, based on possession, passing and movement.
Stimac has also been open to experimenting with new players and giving opportunities to young and talented footballers. He has introduced several new faces to the national team, such as Apuia, Lalchungnunga, Udanta Singh, Glan Martins, Anwar Ali and Ashique Kuruniyan. He has also given more responsibility and leadership roles to experienced players like Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Sandesh Jhingan and Pronay Halder.
Challenges and expectations for the Asian Cup
Stimac, however, has also acknowledged the challenges and expectations for the Asian Cup. He has admitted that India is not among the favorites or the strongest teams in the tournament, and that they will face tough opponents in their group. He has also lamented the injuries and unavailability of some key players, such as Ashique Kuruniyan, Anwar Ali, Jeakson Singh, Glan Martins and Rohit Danu.
Stimac, however, has not given up hope or ambition. He has said that he and his players will give their best and try to make the country proud. He has also said that he will focus on the available resources and use the time in Doha to prepare the team in the best possible way. He has also expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the support and welcome that the Indian team received from the Indian community in Qatar.
“It’s always been said that India is a sleeping giant when it comes to football, and that’s true – because the potential is there. Together, we have to start waking that giant and make sure that we’re competitive at the next Asian Cup and going on to the World Cup qualifiers in 2026.” Stimac said.
