Igor Stimac's celebration was shameful, says Abdullah Almutairi

The Nepali head coach criticized Igor Stimac's goal celebration following a defeat against India.

India registered their first win of the SAFF Championship 2021 with a win against table-toppers Nepal. Sunil Chhetri came to the rescue just on time, when things were looking to get worse for the Blue Tigers for the third time in the tournament. Igor Stimac's side now remain the only unbeaten side of the competition, yet sit in third position with five points. Abdullah Almutairi and Nepal, on the other hand, still sit level with Maldives with six points on board.

A draw would have made their maiden run to the finals easier, yet the loss has piled up pressure to register a win against Bangladesh in their last game.

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Following the defeat, the Nepal coach Almutairi spoke to the press, commenting on the match, Stimac's goal celebration and more.

Regarding Nepal's performance today

As often, Abdullah Almutairi praised his players in the press conference. Nepal, despite starting well and having spontaneous moments, were put on the back foot by India. “We played a good and strong game," he said. "We made one mistake and conceded the goal. We were not lucky in finishing, but everything else is good.” 

Similarly, the tactician revealed his approach and did not accept him being defensive. “You have to understand that when we had the ball, we played in a 3-4-3. When we didn’t, we shifted to a 5-4-1. This is transition in football and we don’t stick to what we have on-paper. It’s about transitions," he explained.

Regarding Igor Stimac's goal celebration

Almutairi addressed Stimac's gesture after India's goal, referring to the act as "shameful." The 39-year-old criticized his counterpart and called for mutual respect.

“We saw the tension, we saw the pressure and we saw something that I personally don’t like,” he said. “This is just a sport. It is not a war between the countries. All the sports – football, handball, volleyball, cricket – are the same. Why do we take this much of pressure and tension? For what? For example, the Indian coach made fun of me when he celebrated the goal. Why? This is sports and it survives with respect. It’s a shame. It’s like we’re teenagers. Respect is the most important thing.”

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In addition, Abdullah Almutairi admitted that he will never do a similar act, saying it'll only make him "stupid." "He can celebrate the goal, but making fun of me is a shame. If we meet in the final and I win, do you think I’ll do the same? No. My mother will kill me if I do that.” 

Related: Almutairi shouldn't think about my celebration: Igor Stimac after Nepal win

Message to Nepali media

The Kuwaiti national also took the occasion to address the Nepali media and their coverage. Taking responsibility for the defeat solely, he urged everyone against criticizing the players.

"I want to say this to the people of Nepal, especially the media, to avoid blaming the players. I’m the responsible one. I lost the game, not the players. They tried hard, they’ve fought for you. You can write about me and attack me. But, I won’t tolerate you attacking my players," he warned.

On Sunil Chhetri

When asked about Sunil Chhetri's impact, Almutairi had words of praise for the Indian captain. Similarly, the Nepal head coach opined Chhetri to be a "more powerful player than the others."

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“Every player, be it from India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka, or Nepal belongs to the best 23 of his country," he said. "Every player means something. But, some players are more powerful than others. I can’t speak about Sunil Chhetri, his numbers speak for him. He is a very good player.” 

The road ahead for Nepal

When asked about the difficulty of the Bangladesh fixture, Almutairi termed every fixture as a difficult one. Concluding his heated conference, Abdullah Almutairi asked everyone to focus on the next match against Bangladesh.

"We must prepare for the next game. This chapter has been closed. We’re still in the competition. We have only one chance to qualify by winning against Bangladesh. We will work for the next match and we’ll see," he concluded.

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