Indian Football team head coach Igor Stimac has finally opened up on the astrologer fiasco. the croat refuted the claims calling it ‘ made up stories’. After a huge turmoil Stimac is set to travel to China for Asian Games 2023 with Sunil Chhetri and co. Experienced defender Sandhesh Jhingan is also set to join them.
“Well, obviously, it’s disturbing, however strong and resistant you are against all these, which I really am because of the huge experience behind me. I know how things work in sports and politics, where people make up stories to shift the focus, but I am not worried about these things,” said Igor Stimac.
Earlier, it was claimed that Stimac had consulted an astrologer to decide whether or not to start in specific matches. The Blue Tigers played a friendly match against Jordan and competed in Asian Cup qualifications against Cambodia, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong when this consultation allegedly took place between May and June 2022.
The chronology of events indicates that Stimac gave the astrologer the fitness data of the 24 chosen players right before the friendly match against Jordan on May 28, 2022. There was a loud uproar among the Indian football community as a result. Stimac, however, asserted that all of the claims were untrue and disparaging.
” They don’t even deserve my comments. Small people do bad things. They have nothing to do with their lives, so they are doing these bad things.” Igor Stimac added.
Jhingan joins Chhetri in China, AIFF names Indian Men’s Football squad for Asian…
An updated 21-person Indian men’s football team for the Asian Games 2023, which run from September 23 to October 8, was unveiled by the AIFF on Thursday. In August, the AIFF released a 22-person roster that featured star striker Sunil Chhetri. The team was eventually reduced to 17, though, as it was said that Indian teams had reservations about releasing players. But after a protracted struggle, Igor Stimac managed to seize Sandesh jhingan before the continental piece. Speaking on the addition Stimac said,
” I mean, what to say about my lion there, you know. You know that I have a few senior players there and the rest of them are all youngsters. Now we have a team which is a promising team, which is giving us hope again about achieving great things in football. ”
” So then again, there is opportunity and challenge for some new faces there which I haven’t been in a position to work with. This might be a turning point for some other players’ careers. And there is a huge, huge opportunity for So I need to use this momentum which is giving opportunity to these boys. ” Igor Stimac added.
Indian Football Team Asian Games Squad:
- Goalkeepers: Gurmeet Singh, Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem.
- Defenders: Sumit Rathi, Narender Gahlot, Deepak Tangri, Sandesh Jhingan, Chinglensana Singh, Lalchungnunga.
- Midfielders: Amarjit Singh Kiyam, Samuel James Lyngdoh, Rahul KP, Abdul Rabeeh, Ayush Dev Chhetri, Bryce Miranda, Azfar Noorani, Vincy Barretto.
- Forwards: Sunil Chhetri, Rahim Ali, Rohit Danu, Gurkirat Singh, Aniket Jadhav.
- Head coach: Igor Stimac