Thanks goalkeeper for noticing - even I just read Stimac's statements … pretty similar, is it not? But I am not STIMAC fake account holder here. Any ways - if one understands the overall picture of how professional athletes develop, how long it takes to master the skills to perform under pressure and what it takes to consistently play good football and beat good teams - then it would be easy to understand what we are saying. There is no point in just keep being negative. If anyone can show me the proof of a mediocre team in any sport that beats teams regularly. So we are exactly in that same spot - being mediocre and trying to get better after every game. It takes years not months to show consistently improved performance on the field. Everyone has the right for their opinion/comments. But reality is way different than what people opinions are. There are way too many variables need to be improved to a different level with Indian football and football team become a regular winner. I am positive this will happen over the years but not in immediate future. Do not mean to offend any one - just plain simple fact.
Afghanistan draw a warning for Igor Stimac to back up style with substance
It's the fourth minute of India's crucial World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan. India have hogged the ball since kick-off and have been passing it slickly amongst themselves, one-touch at times yet patient, probing. Suddenly, Brandon Fernandes senses an opening. With Ashique Kuruniyan, Sahal Abdul Samad, and Sunil Chhetri drifting toward him (left, left-centre) Fernandes switches play to the opposite flank with a delicious crossfield. Pritam Kotal traps it before marauding forward, plays a quick one-two with Udanta Singh and then... nothing.
Kotal crossed a decent looking ball into the Afghan box, into which no one in blue had made a run, and that was that. Afghanistan cleared with the minimum of fuss.
Those fifteen-odd seconds encapsulated the early days of the Igor Stimac era neatly. Moments of true quality -- flowing out of the players trusting their touch, a coach believing in his players -- which all too often end in nothingness.
Brandon, dropping deep, started some interesting moves, but misplaced simple balls just as often. Ashique ran, and ran, but mostly into cul-de-sacs. Sahal flattered to deceive. A few lovely passages of play were killed either by the final ball, as with the move in the fourth minute, or the finish -- as happened when Chhetri, of all the people, missed an open goal from three yards out.
Varying doses of promise. Then, nothing.
It's this nothingness that might well come back to haunt Stimac's reign as coach of the Indian national football team.
Stimac is a big man, with the shoulders of a bear, and a presence that instantly demands attention. He uses this to good effect, especially when addressing the media - personality commanding, face expressive, hands emotive, accent fine-tuned to put emphasis on key words. "Attractive football", "entertaining the crowd", "creating chances", "bringing young players through". It's great to hear, the positivity a thrilling departure from yore. It's easy to get swept away.
It'd have been even easier if his team had translated all those words into action. India needed a late, 93rd-minute-late, equalizer to salvage a draw against lower-ranked Afghanistan. They had needed an 88th minute equalizer to do the same against an even lower-ranked Bangladesh just last month.
What that means is that after four games in the first round of World Cup qualifying, India have three points and languish second from bottom, seven points off table-toppers Qatar. It will take a near-miracle for this team to even touch second-placed Oman, who are six points ahead.
Tactical ineptness, and a goalkeeping error, cost India two points against Bangladesh. Mediocrity in individual performances cost them the points against Afghanistan. After the high of the first two games, these two lows have hit hard. It's easy to apportion blame. It's easy to throw your hands up and claim nothing will improve. Wasn't Indian football always supposed to be like this? It would be easy, but that would not make it right.
Being expressive, even trying to be expressive comes at a price, and Stimac seems to be willing to meet it, however high, betting that it would pay off in the long term.
He has been allowing play to flow through his ball-playing midfielders. He has got the team pressing high, at least for some stretches. He has got them playing quick-passing football, at least in moments. He has been picking players on merit, mostly (like Farukh Choudhury coming into the team off a good start to the ISL season).
The team has been fighting to the end, as evidenced by those late goals. Even at their worst, they have tried to keep their shape, tried to keep the ball and make meaningful use of it, instead of launching Hail-Marys every time a move doesn't come off.
These little things matter. The fact that India is trying matters.
Of course, draws such as the ones against Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be looked down upon as two points dropped rather than one gained. Finishing anywhere lower than third in this group will be considered disappointing in the extreme. Trying and expressing and talking about philosophy will all only matter if the results start coming through.
Stephen Constantine had his critics, but he did help India qualify for the Asian Cup. Not matching it will be an outright failure.
But it's too soon to write off either team or manager. Constantine's India ended their eight-match WC qualifying campaign at the bottom of the group, with seven defeats and just three points. Stimac's India have already matched their points tally. In the process, they have gone to Qatar, and stopped the champions of Asia in their tracks. They have come within seven minutes of beating Oman.
Yes, India need to score more goals. They need to create more chances from open play. They need to close out games against teams that sit back and absorb pressure. Individuals need to find consistency, management needs to develop a touch more nous. But there's still hope that India can do all this, and get results, without reverting to safety-first football.
It wasn't Stimac's big words or the inane hype around the team that had first stoked that hope. It had been the first forty-five minutes of their World Cup qualifying campaign. Forty-five minutes where they dominated the ball, created chances, and scored a superb goal. Forty-five minutes of slick, beautiful, high-tempo football, that had had Oman on the ropes and Indian football fandom in dreamland.
On the 19th, India face Oman again in a must-win encounter in Muscat. That hope could do with some rekindling.
When was the last time Chhetri scored a goal for India? He cost us a win yesterday by missing that sitter! The stooge gang is ruining the NT at the moment.
Second half was good with Brandon controlling midfield.... If only Stimac has watched recent fcgoa games properly, he would have known that Mandar is not at his best... Prabir das should have been playing and Farukh must have started.... he did well not to include Thapa who is not doing well for chennayin offlate, losing possession often uncharacteristically.... Raynier is in good form though, who could have been used against the physical afghan plyrs...
Stimac can be persisted atleast for the performance of the team during 2nd half... If only he can get his squad and team selection right....
Oman won 4-1 against bangladesh and that is the place of a saff team against a gulf one... And india continues to remain in SAFF league.... Same applies for u19 team as well... so future not looking good as well...
Chetri was pathetic yesterday.. ... Time for him to retire as an hero....
Igor Stimac said his team is playing better football then Stephen team.
How many of you agree with statement?
Under him we played 9 games i think and scored only 3 goals from open Play and all other 7 goals came from set pieces.
Tactically he looks like noob. His subs looks like kid doing it on FIFA PUT forwards as a RB and LB and bring more forwards in. Yesterday India finished game with 6 forwards on pitch. Some body need to tell him that game can be changed by bringing midfielder also.
Going back to Oman game we lost because of his wrong subs as he changed the balance of the team again with not doing likewise subs. Against Bangladesh everybody knew they will play long ball and crosses but he did not done anything regarding that also.
Against Afghanistan everyone saw pronay was doing traffic police work, he did not shown enough courage to ask for ball or to support Brandon in midfield. Pronay kept on diverting traffic/ball to other players. He kept on bringing forwards instead of thapa or raynier.
Seems like those Croatian fans were right. He is tactical flawed.
And India have 3 goals in the qualifiers, all coming from Brandon boots. But still he is played as a DM or CM. He is India's best player on form and should be given his natural role i.e no 10 where he can influence more.
Also, India need to play Udanta on left, Changte or Asique on Right as they don't have enough confidence to shot from their weaker foot. World are playing with inverted winger and we should also do same.
Comments
Stimac is giving similar excuses like he di. We are changing the playing style blaah blaah. Atleast he has won 8 out of 20 games.
Afghanistan draw a warning for Igor Stimac to back up style with substance
It's the fourth minute of India's crucial World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan. India have hogged the ball since kick-off and have been passing it slickly amongst themselves, one-touch at times yet patient, probing. Suddenly, Brandon Fernandes senses an opening. With Ashique Kuruniyan, Sahal Abdul Samad, and Sunil Chhetri drifting toward him (left, left-centre) Fernandes switches play to the opposite flank with a delicious crossfield. Pritam Kotal traps it before marauding forward, plays a quick one-two with Udanta Singh and then... nothing.
Kotal crossed a decent looking ball into the Afghan box, into which no one in blue had made a run, and that was that. Afghanistan cleared with the minimum of fuss.
Those fifteen-odd seconds encapsulated the early days of the Igor Stimac era neatly. Moments of true quality -- flowing out of the players trusting their touch, a coach believing in his players -- which all too often end in nothingness.
Brandon, dropping deep, started some interesting moves, but misplaced simple balls just as often. Ashique ran, and ran, but mostly into cul-de-sacs. Sahal flattered to deceive. A few lovely passages of play were killed either by the final ball, as with the move in the fourth minute, or the finish -- as happened when Chhetri, of all the people, missed an open goal from three yards out.
Varying doses of promise. Then, nothing.
It's this nothingness that might well come back to haunt Stimac's reign as coach of the Indian national football team.
Stimac is a big man, with the shoulders of a bear, and a presence that instantly demands attention. He uses this to good effect, especially when addressing the media - personality commanding, face expressive, hands emotive, accent fine-tuned to put emphasis on key words. "Attractive football", "entertaining the crowd", "creating chances", "bringing young players through". It's great to hear, the positivity a thrilling departure from yore. It's easy to get swept away.
It'd have been even easier if his team had translated all those words into action. India needed a late, 93rd-minute-late, equalizer to salvage a draw against lower-ranked Afghanistan. They had needed an 88th minute equalizer to do the same against an even lower-ranked Bangladesh just last month.
Tactical ineptness, and a goalkeeping error, cost India two points against Bangladesh. Mediocrity in individual performances cost them the points against Afghanistan. After the high of the first two games, these two lows have hit hard. It's easy to apportion blame. It's easy to throw your hands up and claim nothing will improve. Wasn't Indian football always supposed to be like this? It would be easy, but that would not make it right.
Being expressive, even trying to be expressive comes at a price, and Stimac seems to be willing to meet it, however high, betting that it would pay off in the long term.
He has been allowing play to flow through his ball-playing midfielders. He has got the team pressing high, at least for some stretches. He has got them playing quick-passing football, at least in moments. He has been picking players on merit, mostly (like Farukh Choudhury coming into the team off a good start to the ISL season).
The team has been fighting to the end, as evidenced by those late goals. Even at their worst, they have tried to keep their shape, tried to keep the ball and make meaningful use of it, instead of launching Hail-Marys every time a move doesn't come off.
These little things matter. The fact that India is trying matters.
Of course, draws such as the ones against Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be looked down upon as two points dropped rather than one gained. Finishing anywhere lower than third in this group will be considered disappointing in the extreme. Trying and expressing and talking about philosophy will all only matter if the results start coming through.
But it's too soon to write off either team or manager. Constantine's India ended their eight-match WC qualifying campaign at the bottom of the group, with seven defeats and just three points. Stimac's India have already matched their points tally. In the process, they have gone to Qatar, and stopped the champions of Asia in their tracks. They have come within seven minutes of beating Oman.
Yes, India need to score more goals. They need to create more chances from open play. They need to close out games against teams that sit back and absorb pressure. Individuals need to find consistency, management needs to develop a touch more nous. But there's still hope that India can do all this, and get results, without reverting to safety-first football.
It wasn't Stimac's big words or the inane hype around the team that had first stoked that hope. It had been the first forty-five minutes of their World Cup qualifying campaign. Forty-five minutes where they dominated the ball, created chances, and scored a superb goal. Forty-five minutes of slick, beautiful, high-tempo football, that had had Oman on the ropes and Indian football fandom in dreamland.
On the 19th, India face Oman again in a must-win encounter in Muscat. That hope could do with some rekindling.
https://www.espn.in/football/india/story/3990255/afghanistan-draw-a-warning-for-igor-stimac-to-back-up-style-with-substance
Very balanced review, as expected from ESPN
Stimac can be persisted atleast for the performance of the team during 2nd half... If only he can get his squad and team selection right....
Oman won 4-1 against bangladesh and that is the place of a saff team against a gulf one... And india continues to remain in SAFF league.... Same applies for u19 team as well... so future not looking good as well...
Chetri was pathetic yesterday.. ... Time for him to retire as an hero....
How many of you agree with statement?
Under him we played 9 games i think and scored only 3 goals from open Play and all other 7 goals came from set pieces.
Tactically he looks like noob. His subs looks like kid doing it on FIFA PUT forwards as a RB and LB and bring more forwards in. Yesterday India finished game with 6 forwards on pitch. Some body need to tell him that game can be changed by bringing midfielder also.
Going back to Oman game we lost because of his wrong subs as he changed the balance of the team again with not doing likewise subs. Against Bangladesh everybody knew they will play long ball and crosses but he did not done anything regarding that also.
Against Afghanistan everyone saw pronay was doing traffic police work, he did not shown enough courage to ask for ball or to support Brandon in midfield. Pronay kept on diverting traffic/ball to other players. He kept on bringing forwards instead of thapa or raynier.
Seems like those Croatian fans were right. He is tactical flawed.
Also, India need to play Udanta on left, Changte or Asique on Right as they don't have enough confidence to shot from their weaker foot. World are playing with inverted winger and we should also do same.