India’s head coach Igor Stimac reckons the team has got a few challenges before facing Myanmar in the Tri-nation tournament. The Croatian admitted that the players are tired after taking part in the recently concluded Hero Indian Super League.
Stimac has named a 23-man squad for the competition with goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa, Mehtab Singh, Rohit Kumar, and Naorem Mahesh Singh, getting their maiden call-up to the squad.
The Blue Tigers will face Myanmar at the Khuman Lampak Stadium, in Imphal, on Wednesday.
“We’ve got a few challenges, so far. Many of our players are exhausted after playing the Hero ISL Final, and they are in the recovery process. We need fresh legs. Our squad has 23 players, so you can definitely expect many from Manipur to start on Saturday,” said Stimac as quoted by Hero ISL.
Stimac, who has played a key role in the upliftment of Indian football, added that it is imperative for them to play in their own conditions.
“Playing here in Manipur is more of a joy for our players than anywhere else. I have been highlighting the importance of playing at home in the FIFA International Windows, and we are finally getting that,” said Stimac. “It’s always better than going to some other country and playing on their soil with their arrangements.”
“I very much appreciate the Manipur Government and the Federation who helped organise this, and I hope very soon, the footballing infrastructure here will also be much better. When we all witness how much international football means to the fans, I hope the government will do much more for its infrastructure,” he added.
Meanwhile, India’s veteran goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu ended on the wrong side of the result in the ISL final against ATK Mohun Bagan. However, the custodian is looking forward to the match in the national colors.
“It’s pretty easy to lift yourself up when you’ve got a game coming up. I’m very glad and honored to be here in a place from where a lot of footballers have come up,” he said.
“The chance of playing the next game is always a motivating aspect for any player, so it did not take a lot for me to pick myself back up once again,” he added.
