Frustration continues to grow for Indian Football Team head coach Igor Stimac. He is only allowed to select two players from each club for the Asian Games 2023. It’s because they’re hesitant to release players outside of the FIFA international match window and during the Indian Super League (ISL).
The Indian Football Team coach has picked a 22-man roster for the continental showcase. It is primarily an under-24 tournament with three senior players allowed to compete. The three seniors chosen for service were captains Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, and Sandesh Jhingan. However, not all of them will be available for the competition later this month. With Bengaluru already considering Sandhu’s release.
Didn’t come here to lick a**es: Stimac blasts clubs for refusing to release players
Bengaluru had six players on the list of officially registered players at the Asian Games. Roshan Singh, Rohit Danu, N. Siva Sakthi, and Suresh Singh to join Chhetri and Sandhu. Missing six players for numerous games is a risk that no club is willing to take. Hence the AIFF has now requested the release of only two players, Chhetri and Suresh.
Igor Stimac has chosen Akash Mishra and Vikram Partap over Lalengmawia Ralte (Apuia) from Mumbai City’s initial three players. Vincy Barreto (Chennaiyin), Ayush Chhetri (FC Goa), and Abdul Rabeeh (Hyderabad) are among those added to the list. Liston Colaco of Mohun Bagan is now one of the three senior players of the Indian FOotball Team at Asian Games.
Following a major social media campaign and great efforts from AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, the Indian Football was able to persuade the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to send them to the Asian Games. When Igor Stimac summoned up for a camp, only 12 of the 28 players showed up. The camp had already been postponed once due to club refusals to release players.
The football calendar in India has always been a source of contention among the federation, clubs, and even players. Nobody is pleased with it. If a short window for the Indian Super League was a concern before, it will now impede clubs’ preparation for both the Indian Super League and AFC competitions . However, clubs’ refusal to release players creates a larger issue. Who is to be held accountable for this?
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