'We know the strengths of Australia…' - Igor Stimac outlines strategy for AFC Asian Cup opener

Igor Stimac also outlined how the injuries to key players will affect India in the AFC Asian Cup.

India will open their 2023 AFC Asian Cup campaign with a clash against 2022 FIFA World Cup pre-quarter finalists (Round of 16 participants) Australia at the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan. The Blue Tigers will face the Socceroos for the first time since 2011.

The game between India and Australia will be the opening game of Group B which consists of India, Australia, Uzbekistan and Syria. Ahead of the game, India’s head coach Igor Stimac and midfielder Sahal Abdul Samad addressed the media. Excerpts from the conversation are below:

Thoughts ahead of the game

Sharing his thoughts on the game, Igor Stimac said that he and his boys are very excited for the game because India will have 17 players who will make their debut at the continental championship.

“We are excited that the kick-off time is close. We have had a nice 12 days here working hard. All the boys are excited and we are looking forward to the game. Hopefully, it turns out to be wonderful for our 17 debutants. It is a place for them to learn,” he asserted.

Thoughts on Australia

The head coach also shared his thoughts on Australia and said that it is going to be a tough match for his side because of the quality of the opposition.

“Obviously, it is going to be a tough match for us because we know about the achievements of Australia. They have top players and it is not going to be easy and we are well aware of that. We are here to embrace the challenges,” he said.

Potential of Indian football

When asked about the potential of Indian football, Igor Stimac said that there is a lot of potential in India, but proper steps need to be taken to nurture the talent. 

“The potential is there, but we need to structure football in every corner of the country. We need to develop footballing programmes and bring foreign coaches to help in execution of the programmes. It is a long process.”

He also added, “We can see the implementation of more technical football and young players are getting more chances. It was not an easy process and now we have a very young squad with few senior players. We are well aware that we are far away from the top Asian teams, but we are confident and positive to reach the top 10 in Asia.”

Australia’s set-piece routine

Australia are known for their set-pieces and have caused trouble to a lot of teams. Speaking about the same, Igor Stimac quipped, “We don’t have to give away set-pieces. We know the strengths of Australia. Graham (Arnold) and myself are the longest-serving managers here at the tournament. He has also coached at the youth setup.”

Stimac also mentioned that Australia caused a lot of problems to England and his side will need to be compact and not allow them many chances.

“They play very pragmatic football, insisting on their strengths. They caused a lot of problems to England and we can expect the storms coming out of them. We need to stay compact and do everything possible to stop the crosses from the flanks,” he quipped.

Injuries

India’s four key players were ruled out ahead of the AFC Asian Cup. Speaking about the injury concerns for his team, the head coach claimed that if the players wouldn’t have been injured, India would have been a completely different side.

“We have lost a good part of our quality with four key players. Sahal is not ready yet for the game, but we are doing everything to bring him back. But, not having Ashique (Kuruniyan), Anwar (Ali) and Jeakson Singh is quite hard for us because we could’ve been a very different side with them on the pitch,” he said.

Igor Stimac is ready to embrace the challenge posed by Australia! Directly from the press conference!#IndianFootball #AsianCup2023 #BlueTigers #BackTheBlue #AFCAsianCup pic.twitter.com/nkarN6xL6b

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) January 12, 2024

Mental preparation ahead of the game

When asked about his side’s mental preparations coming into the game, the head coach stated, “We have been working on our mindset through meditation. Mindset change was the key element in our approach when I started my work with Indian football.

“To switch from a defensive mindset to attacking football, it’s not easy. Hopefully, soon things will change in Indian football and give us elements that other countries are using to get as good as it can in football.”

Time as India’s head coach

Igor Stimac took the hot-seat almost five years ago. When asked about the changes that India have undergone during his stint, the manager said that his team have now become more brave and confident in terms of how they operate.

“There is a clear answer to the question because you have the numbers before I arrived. We have reduced the number of long passes in our game, we are far more confident in the build-up and much better in scoring.”

He also mentioned that Sunil Chhetri is the best example of the changes because he has had his best stint for the national team under him. “Sunil Chhetri is the best example because his most efficient period with the national team has been the last four years. We need to be humble when we come to tournaments like this and we need to do a lot of hard work,” he added.

Realistic Target

When asked about his side’s realistic target going into the AFC Asian Cup, the head coach said, “Our target is to have a good performance in the next three games as a team and as a country and use the experience from the tournament for the future.”

Sahal’s Comments 

Thoughts ahead of the game

Sahal shared his thoughts ahead of India’s opener and said that the players are ready and excited. “We all are ready and excited. We have experienced players and we are looking forward to the game,” he mentioned.

Sahal Abdul Samad will miss the first game but will be working to make an appearance in the upcoming fixtures!Directly from the press conference. #IndianFootball #AsianCup2023 #BlueTigers pic.twitter.com/8aegOXJSZc

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) January 12, 2024

Mood in the camp

Sahal also spoke about the mood in the camp and said that the team is mentally and physically ready for the upcoming games. 

“We have had a couple of sessions in Doha. The mind is free. It’s time to focus on the game tomorrow and I think the boys are ready for that. We need to be physically and mentally be ready for the game,” he signed off.

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