India’s national football team head coach, Igor Stimac, expressed his dissatisfaction with the preparation time for the upcoming Asian Cup in Doha, asserting that the tournament lacked significance due to the team’s insufficient training. Stimac had advocated for a four-week national camp before the premier continental competition, which commences on January 12. However, with the Indian Super League’s first phase extending until December 29, acquiring the players for an extended training camp proved challenging.
Scheduled to face formidable opponents like Australia, Uzbekistan, and Syria, Stimac anticipated having less than 10 days to train with the complete national team roster. Despite a clear request for adequate preparation time, the constraints imposed by the ISL schedule hindered the coach’s plans, prompting him to bluntly state, “Just forget it,” regarding expectations for results without adequate time.
After a 0-3 loss to Qatar in a World Cup second-round qualifier, Stimac emphasized the importance of the World Cup qualifiers over the Asian Cup. He expressed concern about potential injuries during the Asian Cup, prioritizing the need for points in the World Cup qualifiers to secure advantageous positions in the third round.
