Twitterati wants Stephen Constantine to replace Igor Stimac after Indian football team's 6-0 drubbing against UAE

The Indian football team suffered a humiliating 6-0 loss against the United Arab Emirates in a friendly match at the Zabeel Stadium in Dubai on Monday. A hat-trick from UAE's all-time top goalscorer Ali Mabkhout within the first sixty minutes put the game out of India's reach.

Since his appointment in March 2019, Igor Stimac has managed just one victory in twelve matches. Although India have held higher-ranked opponents like Syria, Oman, and Qatar in his tenure, fans are livid with the recent 0-6 loss against UAE. Moreover, this was the first time in over a decade that India conceded six goals or more in an international match.

Disgruntled Indian football fans have thus started to compare Stimac's performance with that of former coach Stephen Constantine.

Twitter reactions of fans demanding Stephen Constantine to lead the Indian football team instead of Igor Stimac

@StephenConstan you might've removed Indian football from your physical world, but you'll never be able to remove us from your heart, and we Indians can never stop loving you. You wrote some of the finest chapters of Indian football, and we'll be happy if you write some more.

— leatherback_liger (@retartedsmarty) March 29, 2021

@StephenConstan 2 years after you left we realised that we dont value things until they are gone.

— Abhishek Rawat (@Abhishe38902972) March 30, 2021

Apologies for sounding like a repetitive broken tape, butIgor Stimac is a step back from Stephen Constantine. Irony is that the coach who often blames other ISL coaches for the lack of Plan-B doesn't even have a proper Plan-A.In fact irony committed suicide in sheer disgust.

— Debapriya Deb (@debapriya_deb) March 29, 2021

Igor Stimac is better than Stephen Constantine ah 😂😂Atleast he knew how to use his players#IndianFootball

— Shawn Ivan D'souza (@RedFella31) March 29, 2021

Stephen Constantine > @stimac_igor.Now I understanding why Constantine wasn't picking the players who were doing well in the domestic league but he stick to core team,he delivered results,we broke into top 100.The last time we played UAE we were actually playing good football.

— Basavaraj Kshatriya (@BasavaKshatriya) March 29, 2021

Why adil and masoor in this high quality game.then why not bipin?why apua was substituted..this very bad coching.when stephen constantine india 0 v 2 uaeand igor stimac india 0 v 6 uae.😡😡😔😔😔

— Akshay Chandra (@AkshayC12573771) March 29, 2021

Ok Stephen constantine long ball tactics were kinda better than this non sense counter attacks where we complete a series of passes. 5-0 already. #INDUAE

— Sumit (@BeheraBoi) March 29, 2021

India under Stephen Constantine was a much much better side than what we are seeing them play today. Igor Stimac looks absolutely clueless with his tactics. #UAEIND #BlueTigers #IndianFootball

— Abel Vurgese (@IntellectsSport) March 29, 2021

Indian football team had a strong defense under Stephen Constantine

Under Stephen Constantine, India lost to UAE by a margin of 0-2 at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. But the Blue Tigers hit the woodwork thrice and were praised by the-then UAE coach Alberto Zaccheroni.

Although the Indian football team won only one match in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, it bounced back strongly by qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup. India even beat Thailand 4-1 in the group stages under Constantine's tutelage.

Despite resorting to playing long balls, a robust defense and individual brilliance of Sunil Chhetri ensured India got favorable results with Constantine in charge.

Igor Stimac tried to change it. But his efforts have not borne any fruit so far. Although the Indian football team saw more of the ball against Bangladesh and Afghanistan in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, it required late goals from set-pieces to escape with a draw.

Against Oman last week, the Indian football team was found wanting in the first half before sharing possession equally in the second half. Manvir Singh's goal in the 55th minute leveled the terms for Stimac's side.

However, the Indian football team struggled to string together even four passes against UAE in their most recent match. The Middle East nation sauntered past India's defense with ease and regained possession quickly once they lost it.

Naturally, the tactics and approach of Stimac have elicited a strong reaction from Indian football lovers on social media.