India football coach Igor Stimac not obsessed with results
Updated On: 25 March, 2021 07:40 AM IST | Dubai | PTI
Head coach Igor Stimac said he has told the players to play free and fearless football as he was not expecting much from these two matches.
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Igor Stimac. Pic/AFP
Talismanic captain Sunil Chhetri will not be there to inspire but a young Indian team will seek to play fearless football against a more fancied Oman in its first international match in more than a year here on Thursday. Chhetri is not with the team for the two international friendlies here -- the second one against the UAE on Monday -- as he is recovering from COVID-19. But the side with an average age of just over 24 is raring to go in its first international match after November 2019 and many of them have done well in the recent Indian Super League for their respective franchises. Head coach Igor Stimac said he has told the players to play free and fearless football as he was not expecting much from these two matches.
"We wanted to give them the experience of playing stronger teams, that will give them more confidence and fearlessness in future. I have told them there should not be any pressure on them," Stimac said ahead of the match. "We are not obsessed with results." Talking about Oman, Stimac said, "I have seen their match against Jordan. They are a really physical side, well organised and really patient. We also have worked hard and we expect a good game tomorrow." Oman are coming into Thursday`s match after playing out a goal-less draw with Jordan on Saturday. Before that, their last match was in December 2019 in the Gulf Cup where they lost to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The absence of Chhetri, the second highest international goal-getter among active players, will be felt greatly but India did pull off a goal-less draw against Asian champions Qatar in Doha without the star striker in a 2022 World Cup qualifying round match in 2019.
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