Should Igor Stimac put a break on handing debuts after Intercontinental Cup experiment?

The Croatian had fielded three more new names in the game against Tajikistan in the Hero Intercontinental Cup opener.

The reality check was a bitter and early one for Igor Stimac in his reign as India’s national team manager. After defeating Thailand at the Kings Cup, the mood was jubilant and a similar result was expected against an inexperienced Tajikistan side.

A quick-fire brace from Sunil Chhetri, who again overtrumped Lionel Messi to become the second highest International goal-scorer, seemed to have started the Intercontinental Cup 2019 title defence on a banger. Then harsh reality kicked in. A brand new defence, containing two players making their national team debuts, succumbed under little pressure.

Silly mistakes and lapse in concentration allowed Tajikistan to steam-roll the Blue Tigers in the second half, leaving the Ahmedabad faithful distraught. Inexperience was the surmounting factor which continued India’s awful record against the Central Asian nation. The new era will surely take some time to come into full effect.

Watch: Indian football team practice ahead of their game against DPR Korea

However, perhaps some perspective can be taken by the Croatian gaffer. Firstly, it’s obvious that the players really need to notch up their fitness levels. Exhaustion and tired feet resulted in the disappointing collapse on Sunday. Moreover, players need to be braver with their distribution and not crumble under pressure. While the Blue Tigers etched together some beautiful, passing moves, a far-fetch from the long-ball approach taken under Stephen Constantine, they lost possession too many times as well.

What’s a worrying sign is the mistakes often came from players who had debuted under him. Chhetri is an enigma in his own right, but experienced players like Udanta Singh and Anirudh Thapa were much more mature with their work. While Stimac’s tendency to give new blood opportunities is encouraging, there should never be overreliance upon players with little experience.

In only three games at helm, Stimac’s already handed debuts to seven national team players. In his new attack-minded system, he believes young players as key to advancing Indian football to the next level. While the long-term goals might be exciting, the gaffer must be realistic with his short-term ambitions. The Intercontinental Cup might not be that big a tournament, but experimenting during matches which can be won otherwise isn’t really necessary.

The ideal scenario would be to organize more friendly matches in order to test the national team’s resolve as a unit and get them gelling more often. However, with the All India Football Federation(AIFF) finding it difficult to organize matches, that itself is a tough ask. With the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers just around the corner, the need for finding the perfect combination is of utmost necessity.

Stimac’s realized the gravity of the situation and how much India are lacking quality in particular departments. Indeed, he’s himself conceded that he needs better strikers to complement Sunil Chhetri and stated after the loss on Sunday that India needs more great defenders. Narender Galot or Anwar Ali have the potential to become rock-solid centre-halves but are still too young and inexperienced to hang with the big boys.

Mandar Rao Dessai’s disappointing display proved just how important Subhashish Bose is to maintaining composure in defence, while Adil Khan needs an experienced figure like Sandesh Jhingan to really thrive in his role. Jobby Justin can come good with more games under his belt, while Farukh Choudhary just needs to work on his final product. For now, however, sticking with the proven individuals is the way to go.

The Croatian’s tendency to experiment is definitely exciting for those involved in Indian Football, but breaking up proven combinations isn’t necessary. While rotating is necessary to keep fatigued from kicking in, the need to finding the perfect starting XI for the World Cup qualifiers is the biggest task at hand.  

Watch: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu thinks the Blue Tigers are going through a transition under Igor Stimac

The Blue Tigers looked at their most comfortable defensively against Thailand. With Jhingan and Adil at the heart being flanked by defensively reliable Subhashish and Bheke, India becomes more confident in absorbing pressure. The likes or Narender or Jerry Lalrinzuala still have their time to grow into commendable defenders, but for now, the experienced batch must be utilized to it’s best.

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Even in midfield, India requires more solidity to protect the backline. Rowllin Borges is a decent option knowing his energetic demeanour and defensive solidity, while Amarjit Singh Kiyam’s looked the brightest of the youngsters under Stimac. Sahal Abdul Samad and  Thapa are blending in perfectly to add that spice through midfield, and the experienced trio of Singh, Ashique Kuruniyan and Lallianzuala Chhangte should be the supply core going forward.

Profusely tinkering into trying new things often causes more disasters than coming up with solutions. As Stimac’s stated, India will take time to adapt to his new system. However, trying to integrate his style onto the players with years of experience rather than the raw youngsters is clearly the way to go for more immediate results.