End of Igor Stimac era? AIFF technical committee considers dismissal of India's head coach after poor performances - Reports 

After India’s shocking defeat to Afghanistan, Igor Stimac, the head coach, finds himself in a precarious position, facing mounting pressure. Consequently, his position is now being debated, as reports from the Times of India indicate that the technical committee of the All India Football Federation believes that the Croatian should be relieved of his duties.

According to the report, six members of the technical committee, headed by former Indian skipper IM Vijayan, along with three other senior AIFF officials, have concluded that it may be time to part ways with Stimac.

However, no decisions have been made so far, but it’s been reported that senior members of the AIFF are set for discussions on Friday to address the matter.

“We will get a clearer picture in a day or two, but for the for the moment this is the consensus within the technical committee. There was near unanimity that he should be asked to leave. I don’t think anyone had any reservations,” a member revealed as per TOI.

Previously, reports have also indicated a noticeable rise in frustration within the Sports Authority of India (SAI) regarding Igor Stimac’s coaching methods and the AIFF’s management approach, including their long-term vision.

The SAI has engaged in discussions with AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey regarding recent performances. Additionally, it has been revealed that Igor Stimac earns a substantial monthly salary of ₹25 lakhs to manage the national team. As a result, tough questions are anticipated to be directed towards both the AIFF and Stimac during their meeting with SAI.

“It’s about the money we spend on the Indian football team as part of the ACTC rprogramme — close to Rs 50 crore annually. If the government is spending so much on a national team and the performances aren’t coming, then obviously the blame has to be shared equally by the coach(es) and the federation,” a senior sports official told the TOI as per reports.

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What has Igor Stimac said in response to India’s defeat to Afghanistan?

Frustrations reached a peak when India drew against Afghanistan in Saudi Arabia, but they escalated further when the Blue Tigers suffered a defeat in Guwahati. Calls of ‘Stimac out’ echoed among supporters following the loss, as Indian fans expressed their disappointment across various social media platforms.

India were anticipated to dominate the game, and there was a sense of relief when Sunil Chhetri scored to give them the lead. However, after a promising first half, the Blue Tigers struggled significantly in the second period. Despite missing several key players, the Afghans capitalized on their opportunities to secure a deserving 2-1 victory.

Stimac, however, attributed the goals to individual errors and maintains that his team had control for the majority of the game. However, this viewpoint is not widely shared among supporters, as Afghanistan had more clear-cut opportunities.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Igor Stimac stated:

"When you concede goals from individual mistakes, then that’s got nothing to do with the tactical work. For the most part of the game, we had the control, so I don’t see any tactical problem there in that regard. We need four, or five clear chances to score one goal. This means that we are creating chances. We had enough chances today to win the game. But we didn’t win it. I cannot go on the pitch to score goals for our players."

Igor Stimac’s fate certainly hangs in balance, yet currently, India hold the second position in the table and have a promising opportunity to qualify for the third round if they can beat Kuwait in June. There’s potential for India to achieve history, but it’s evident that all is not well in Indian football, both on and off the field.