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Croatia’s Stimac named India football coach
NEW DELHI, May 15, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Former Croatia coach Igor Stimac was
named India manager on Wednesday, replacing Englishman Stephen Constantine
who quit following the Asian Cup exit.
“Igor is the right candidate to coach the Blue Tigers… Indian football is
going through a transition, and I am confident his vast experience will guide
us to higher echelons,” All India Football Federation president Praful Patel
said in a statement.
A former centre-back who won 53 caps, Stimac was in charge of Croatia
during qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
He was sacked after Croatia took only one point from their last four group
games meaning they only just scraped into a playoff. Niko Kovac was in
caretaker charge as they overcame Iceland to reach the finals.
Stimac’s last job was with Al-Shahania club in Qatar.
Constantine stepped down as India coach in January after an injury-time
Bahrain penalty denied the cricket-mad nation a historic place in the Asian
Cup knockout stages in a 1-0 defeat.
BSS/AFP/RY/13:55 hrs