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Former Croatia manager Igor Stimac was appointed as the head coach of the Indian national football team a few days back after the place was vacant for a few months following Stephen Constantine’s exit earlier this year.
After shortlisting four candidates, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) finally zeroed in on the Croat, who himself played for his national team in as many as 53 matches.
It was during his reign that the Croatia team managed to reach the 4th place in the FIFA rankings, just behind Spain, Germany and Argentina. After his stint with the national team, he has managed clubs in Croatia, Iran and also Qatar.
This will be the second time that he is going to be in charge of a national team. With the King's Cup around the corner, the new coach has announced a probable 37-squad for the preparatory camp.
Let us have a look at the new faces in the Indian squad as selected by the coach Igor Stimac:
ALSO READ: Igor Stimac's Unpicked XI
#8 Amarjit Singh Kiyam
Probably the most consistent performer from the infamous U-17 India team which featured in the 2017 U17 FIFA World Cup. The youngster is a responsible footballer who is capable of holding the ball in the midfield.
He played a pivotal role in Indian Arrows’ I-League campaign in the 2018-19 I-League season. He inspired the team to a respectable finish over other heavyweights like Goukulam Kerala FC, Minerva Punjab FC and Shillong Lajong FC. He is one of the few players from the I-League to earn a berth in the national team. Amarjit has also played a few matches for the India U20 squad prior to this.
#7 Nandakumar Sekar
Like Michael Soosairaj (also in the list), this footballer also came up the ranks after making his senior debut for Chennai City FC. Nandakumar Sekar was roped in by Delhi Dynamos FC in 2017.
He played in just 7 matches for the team in the opening season, but made a mark, having produced 4 assists and scoring a goal. Having played as many as 14 matches in the following season, Nanda Kumar impressed once again.
It was enough for the selectors to shortlist his name for the national team. The Tamil Nadu born has already represented the India U23 squad during the Stephen Constantine era.
#6 Anwar Ali
Anwar Ali is a product of the Minerva Punjab youth team but never managed to play for the senior team. He was selected for the Indian U17 team which participated in the FIFA U17 World Cup, which was a huge break for him. Ali became a regular in the Indian Arrows team which participates in the I-League.
The defender has been a stalwart at the back for his team, which helped him get a call from the national selectors. The most memorable moment of his career was when he scored the winning goal for India U20 against Argentina U20 national football team in the 2018 Cotif Cup.
#5 Redeem Tlang
Redeem Tlang played his entire youth career for his native club Shillong Lajong FC, having played his senior debut in 2013 in the I-League against Churchill Brothers FC. He largely developed as a player under the supervision of coach Thangboi Singto.
The winger was summoned by NorthEast United for the 2018-19 season, a team which hadn’t tasted much luck in the Indian Super League prior to that. Redeem proved to be an effective buy for the team.
The footballer worked hard in the midfield with excellent passing accuracy, guiding his team to the semi-finals of the ISL. It is time he produced the heroics for the Indian national football team.
#4 Raynier Fernandes
Raynier Fernandes started his senior career with the Indian Arrows but it took him two years to catch the eye of Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan. Although, he was never the first choice during his early days, but became a vital cog in the following season.
Just when he matured as a genuine playmaker in the midfield, Mumbai City FC secured his services for the 2018-19 Indian Super League season. The footballer from Maharashtra played 17 matches for his new team this season and helped them reach the semi-finals. Apart from his duties in the midfield, he even scored a couple of goals for Mumbai City FC this season.
#3 Michael Soosairaj
Having started his senior career back in 2012 for the Indian Arrows, it was only during his Chennai City FC days that he came into the limelight. Jamshedpur FC roped in as soon as the 2017-18 I-League season ended after he dazzled as a left winger throughout the season. He continued his dream run in the Indian Super League with his new franchise. Soosairaj occasionally pierced through his opponents' defence with his lightning-fast pace and effective skills even scored 4 goals. The footballer from South Indian has emerged as one of the best footballers in the past couple of years, hopefully, he will make it big for the ‘Blue Tigers’ as well.
#2 Jobby Justin
The striker from Kerala was knocking at the door of the national team after his brilliant display with Quess East Bengal in the I-League last season. It was quite obvious that the 25-year-old would get a call-up.
The footballer ended up as the highest scoring Indian player in the I-League, with 9 goals to his name. Not only that, the past season was important for him because he really transformed as a top quality player under the guidance of Spanish coach Alejandro Menendez Perez.
He recently signed for two-time Indian Super League champions ATK for the upcoming season.
#1 Rahul Bheke
It was quite surprising that the side-back was not yet called up for the senior side despite his inspiring performances for Bengaluru FC and also before that. His exclusion from the 2019 Asian Cup was also a questionable decision, but finally, he gets an opportunity to showcase his skills for the national squad.
Bheke is an energetic footballer, a workhorse, a skilful player who has the capability to score a few goals too. Recently, he scored the winner for Bengaluru FC in the final of the 2018-19 Indian Super League in the 117th minute to guide his team to a maiden championship win.
