Have offers in hand, will wait till July: Igor Stimac

World Cup in 1998, gets to see the proposed changes. Excerpts from an exclusive interview with TOI…You have demanded longer season, more matches for players, expanded ISL with promotion-relegation and I-League without foreigners. It’s all well-meaning, but is it expecting too much too soon?If we stick together, anything is possible.

These are not new things that I am asking. When I was signed as the national team coach, it was because AIFF trusted me and my understanding of world football. I speak now with the same responsibilities of making India a better football nation.

I said a lot of things at the press conference, lot of headlines, but not a single mention where I thanked all stakeholders for the good that was being done. I feel bad about that. I’ve been here for three years and I knew what was happening previously.

Before coming to India, I was excited because I know AIFF has done so much to bring changes. All credit goes to president (Praful Patel), (general secretary) Kushal Das and (director, national teams) Abhishek (Yadav). The under-17 World Cup was brought to India for boys and girls, and not everyone can do that.

Then you have FSDL and ISL, financing AIFF with big amounts and supporting changes. The question is can it be more? Yes, and it should be much more in the future, if they stick together as partners. After qualification, you were critical of many things.

What prompted such an outburst?My intention is never to hurt anyone. There are things that need to be changed so that the national team has a better future. I don’t won’t anyone to feel as if I am pointing fingers.