Stimac to start by shoring up Indian defence

India's newly appointed head coach Igor Stimac said everybody, including country's highest goal scorer Sunil Chhetri, will have to fight for a place in the national team.

"Of course, Sunil (Chhetri) is very valuable to our team. He is so experienced and has scored so many goals. But as well as others, he needs to fight for a place in the team,” Stimac said during his first press meet at the capital on Friday.

"We all start from zero. Football is like that. You don't get anything for the past. You get paid for today's job."

The 51-year-old called India a 'sleeping giant' and was keen to assist the AIFF in organising and developing young talent. “From what I can say right now, the players are in good condition and I am satisfied with most after I did agility and endurance tests on them.”

“There are many young players knocking on the door of the senior team. I am happy with the quality I have seen, and together, we can do great things.”

Stimac was also candid in pointing out the areas of concern. "The defence is the first problem I am facing. I need to find more quality and competitors there.

"I have seen there is a lack of concentration on players and also lack of tactical knowledge. Because of concentration issues, we have conceded goals at times. Also, boys weren't good on the second ball, something that is of utmost importance in modern football. Players need to concentrate and develop agility and speed. Of course they need to have heart - we need lions and tigers there.”

Stimac was also willing to give chance to a few untested players. "I watched almost all the ISL matches of the last season. I have been informed about most of the players from Indian Arrows and the successful 2017 India U-17 World Cup team. I have also been informed about some of the young players who are not playing so much but they show great capacity.

"I recognise from my research as well, five-to-six players who didn't take part under Mr. Stephen Constantine. But I think they deserved to get a chance.”

“I-league has tradition”

On the ongoing conflict involving India's two top-division leagues -- Indian Super League and the I-League -- Stimac voiced optimism and said the difference between the two leagues was “tradition.”

“The ISL is a privatised league and the owners who are investing money will expect to get the money, which is normal. I-League has been there for many years and I-League has something which ISL cannot buy. That is tradition. You cannot buy tradition. It will take 100 years to become a traditional league for ISL,” he said.

"So we need to work on those things and find a window to put these things together. I-League clubs must speed up their progression and ISL clubs must acquire the tradition which is nowhere to be seen now. ISL is where most of the competitive staff are present and it is in the I-League, where most of the young players are developing themselves. I will watch both the leagues. I will give them my opinion but it is not my decision how these leagues will be organised.”

The Croatian will prune his squad to 23 before the national team leaves for Thailand to participate in the King's Cup in June.