Indian Football Faces Challenge After Chhetri & Stimac's Departure

Following Sunil Chhetri's retirement and the sacking of head coach Igor Stimac, Indian football faces a challenge in finding a new coach and striker of Chhetri's calibre. Former players I M Vijayan and Climax Lawrence stress the need for grassroots development to nurture future stars.

The Indian football team is grappling with the significant void left by the retirement of iconic striker Sunil Chhetri and the recent sacking of head coach Igor Stimac. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) terminated Stimac's contract after a string of unsatisfactory results, but the bigger concern for experts like I M Vijayan and Climax Lawrence is finding a replacement for Chhetri.

Vijayan and Lawrence, who now serve on the AIFF's technical committee, underscored the urgency of focusing on grassroots development to cultivate future talent. 'While appointing a new coach can be expedited, discovering a striker of Chhetri's calibre is a monumental task,' said Vijayan, stressing the need for young strikers to gain more playing time in domestic leagues.

Lawrence echoed similar sentiments, advocating for a strategic focus on scouting and nurturing talent from the grassroots level. Both stalwarts agree that building a robust team should take precedence over relying on a single outstanding player, even as the search for a new coach begins in earnest.

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