It is arguably the biggest game for Igor Stimac as India’s head coach. A wrong step will mean India end their campaign on a sour note, and exit the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. It could also mean Stimac has to give up the job, and make way for someone else. A win against Kuwait, however, will change everything. India will be in the third round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers for the first time ever, and Stimac will be celebrated the country over. Moreover, Sunil Chhetri will get the perfect farewell as captain of India, and there couldn’t be a better ending for one of India’s best-ever players.
With such high stakes, is he feeling the pressure? Are his players feeling the heat? Who after Chhetri, and is there a succession plan? How did he look at Chhetri’s announcement, and has that given the team an added incentive?
Stimac, as always, took all the questions and was candid. Excerpts from the conversation:
Boria: Sunil Chhetri will be playing his last game in what is arguably the biggest match in India’s football history in a long time. How are you seeing it?
Stimac: Yes, you are right. It is a very important game for us. A win will mean we make it to the third round, and that’s what we had set out to achieve from the very beginning. In sport, you also need a bit of luck. It can well be that you play the best football, and yet don’t end up on the winning side. But let me tell you, I am very very confident we will do well and give our captain the best-ever farewell. He deserves it and all of India deserves to celebrate him big for what has been a stellar career. I am very upbeat about the result, and stay confident it will all go well for us.
Boria: You have for the longest time harped on the need for a long camp. And we have seen the impact of a long camp as well. You finally got your time with the boys, so tell me how did the camp go and is the team ready?
Stimac: The camp went totally to plan. A couple of injuries here and there, but yes, the boys will be ready for the big game. We started with fitness and intensity drills and did everything we needed to do. The boys worked the hardest and everyone was keen to give their best. I am satisfied with what we were able to achieve and now it is up to us all to put it all to use on the 6th. But in terms of preparation, there is nothing that we haven’t done, and we will be fully ready for the challenge.
Boria: That’s really good to hear, because each time we have spoken in the past six to seven months, time with the team has been an issue. And it has meant you have gone into competitions not in the best frame of mind. Asian Games, for example. This time round, you will be ready for the big game, so accountability will be fully yours.
Stimac: (Laughs). Accountability has always been mine. That’s my job, and I will always take ownership of the results – good or bad. But yes, a long camp has its positives and you have seen that in the past, and you will see it again. The players bond better, they are physically in very good shape, and when they step out on the 6th, they will be ready to give it their best. And that’s why I am extremely confident of the result, if we have a little bit of luck going our way and our fans back us all the way.
Boria: You will miss Sandesh Jhingan.
Stimac: I have said this to you in the past, and I am saying it again – we don’t have a replacement for Sandesh Jhingan. The way he plays his football, with all heart, is a very different kind of thing for any team. He will be missed. But at the same time, I am confident we will be able to plug the gap. The boys who will step up in his place will value the opportunity and make it count. That’s how it is in professional sport.
Boria: Do you think Sunil has taken the right call at the right time? He is still one of the fittest around.
Stimac: Let me say this to you – players like Sunil [Chhetri] don’t come too often. In my five years, together we have forged a great bond, and I have seen his work ethic and been very impressed by it. He is a through professional, and being one, he knows what he is doing. Needless to say, we will miss him. Any team will miss a leader like that, but again, no one can be around forever and we will have to move on and fill the void. He has taken the call at the right time for two reasons.
Assuming we make the third round, we will have the chance to play the best Asian teams for 10 games, and it gives us an opportunity to try two to three players in Sunil’s place and get them ready. It could change Indian football, and he knows it. Second, to play the final match in Kolkata in front of his home fans when the stakes are as high – could he have chosen a better moment? So, I am totally with him on the call. In fact, he and I had spoken about it two months back when he called me. The moment he said to me he had something important to tell me, I had asked him if it was about his farewell. He was surprised, but then, that’s the bond we have. I can understand what he is feeling, and what he wants to say.
Boria: That’s really good to hear. So, who after Sunil? Have you thought about it? Do you want to give me some names?
Stimac: Absolutely, I have thought about it. How can I not? And like I told you, it had to come at some point, so as head coach, it is my job to plan for the transition. Quite a few players come to mind. Vikram Partap [Singh], who has a booking for this one game, is someone to watch out for. Rahim Ali is another who has come to the camp in top physical shape, and impressed me a lot. He has the physique, and can be a strong replacement. There are others as well, and I can assure you we have talked about this many times. Sunil too has spoken to me about the transition, and we are all conscious of what we need to do.
Boria: There is a massive demand for tickets for the 6th. Fans from all over India and beyond are expected to come to Kolkata for the game. With Sunil’s farewell, do the players now have an added incentive to do well?
Stimac: There can be no greater incentive than playing for your country in a World Cup qualifier with qualification for the third round on the line. If that is not incentive enough, then what is? But yes, I take your point. Sunil is such an inspiration for us all. He deserves all the praise for what he has done, and deserves a happy ending. It is our job to make sure he gets one. So, in that sense, his farewell has added to the occasion. That extra iota of added motivation to do it for our captain. Each and every player is aware of it, and will give it their all on the 6th.
Boria: Final question. Are the players feeling the pressure? The occasion is such that many can get overawed by it.
Stimac: It is my job to ensure they don’t. I have never put my boys under pressure, and all they need to do is enjoy the occasion. You don’t get such opportunities. You will play for the country in front of a packed stadium in one of the biggest games of your life, and also one which is the last game for your skipper. Do you want to embrace such an occasion, or not? Every player will want to be a part of such an occasion, and I will tell you one final time – we are ready. We are fully prepared for the Kuwait game on the 6th, and will give our captain a fitting farewell.