"We play for India...That is our identity" - Head coach Igor Stimac takes to X to put out the team's culture manifesto

Amid the tumultuous circumstances brewing in Indian football, national team head coach Igor Stimac took to social media to circulate the Blue Tigers' culture manifesto on Friday.

In his post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Stimac underlined what it means for every individual who pledges to represent the national team.

Among many other points, the Croatian gaffer highlighted "When you wear our jersey, you commit to India above oneself." Under the recent circumstances, with players pulling out from the Asian Games 2023 duty citing their club assignments, this has been a highly debated topic in the country.

Stimac had previously also criticized the ISL clubs for not aligning their ambitions with the well-being of the national team.

The coach painted a clear picture of the level of commitment from the players that will make the Blue Tigers great. "A clear goal and a 100 percent commitment to it", "A trust in our process and playing style", "A deep desire to want to leave a legacy", and a "positive mindset" were a few of the points Sitmac listed.

He even didn't shy away from discussing the playing style that he expects his team to opt for. The 56-year-old said the Indian team should play positive, progressive football and "aspire to keep clean sheets."

The motto for the Blue Tigers was very clear for Stimac. The players should play for the country and define their identity by it. He also underlined that every player should pledge to live their life in a manner that inspires others.

---

Igor Stimac's Culture Manifesto for the Indian national team

WHEN YOU WEAR OUR JERSEY, YOU COMMIT:

• To India above oneself.
• To have a work ethic that honors your teammates.
• To be responsible, both on and off the field.
• To sacrifice for the greater good of the team.
• To pledge to lift the energy & spirit of those around you.
• To bring a fighting spirit to every practice and match.
• To be a positive, kind, and loving role model.
• To be courageous and want the ball.
• To commit to eating healthy and sleeping well.
• To respect and celebrate every fan.

WHAT WILL MAKE THIS TEAM GREAT:

• A clear goal and a 100% commitment to it.
• A pledge to uphold the highest standards & push each other
• A trust in our process and playing style.
• A deep desire to want to leave a legacy.
• A fighting spirit with personal accountability.
• Positive mindset
• There is no I in this team. It's always WE'
• We fail together. We win together
• We learn from every failure and come back stronger than ever
• 'THIS IS OUR TEAM' ATTITUDE!

PLAYING STYLE:

• Playing positive, progressive football
• Aspire to keep clean sheets.
• Dominate in every aspect of the game.
• A commitment to understand your game & know your opponents
• Being clinical in execution
• Having the courage to want to the ball.
• Always moving into space.
• Playing unselfish football.
• Play ugly for the sake of the team, if needed.

LOCKER-ROOM RULES:

• No phones in the locker-room.
• No loud music.
• No blaming anyone
• Punctuality is the first sign of respect
• No negative talk. ONLY positivity & encouragement.
• Embrace the diversity in the locker-room. It is our strength.
• A culture of ownership when you make a mistake.
• The locker-room is a place of learning
• What happens in the locker-room, stays in the locker-room
• It is our temple. A safe and sacred place to everyone inside.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE THIS TEAM TO BE REMEMBERED:

• As Indians who played football with passion & commitment
• We played hard, every minute of the game.
• We did not show up to participate. We came to WIN.
• Our work ethic demonstrated our commitment to each other.
• We changed the way people speak about India on the pitch
• We kept clean sheets
• We were WARRIORS.
• We fought for each other.
• We respected our opponents and treated them with respect.

OUR MOTTO:

• We play for India. That is our identity
• We pledge to respect the jersey we wear.
• We pledge to leave it in a better place
• We pledge to fight to protect the honor of our BROTHERHOOD.
• We pledge to live our lives in a manner that INSPIRES