"We want to put our best players on the pitch" - India Head Coach Igor Stimac requests ISL clubs to release their players for preparatory camps

Indian national football team's head coach Igor Stimac took to social media on Saturday evening, July 5, to write a message to all the Indian Super League (ISL) clubs.

The Croatian has made a plea to all the ISL teams to allow their Indian international players to be a part of the national team camps ahead of a set of important competitions.

Earlier, two ISL clubs - Mumbai City FC and East Bengal FC - wrote to the All India Football Federation (AIFF). They said in that letter that they would refrain from releasing their players for the preparatory camp ahead of the U23 AFC Asian Cup.

Stimac, a longstanding advocate of extended training camps, made a 'sincere request' to all the ISL outfits:

"I urge all clubs to continue supporting our national teams, especially in the upcoming months packed with some major tournaments - AFC U23 qualifiers, Asian Games, World Cup Qualifiers, and AFC Asian Cup. We as a nation want to be able to put our best players on the pitch against the footballing giants of Asia.

"Each national team success is adding extra value to all the players and now we know that our boys can compete against the best teams only when we are given enough time for preparation prior to important challenges."

"Let's take our nation to the pinnacle of football" - Igor Stimac delivers a clarion call to all Indian clubs

The Blue Tigers have had a very busy 2023, and it is set to get busier. The tournament in question at the moment - the U23 Asian Cup - is slated to kick off on September 6, with the proposed preparatory camp scheduled from August 12.

For the FIFA international window, clubs have to mandatorily release their players for national team duty. However, for tournaments such as the Asian Games or AFC international competition, no such regulation exists. Igor Stimac stressed how crucial a lengthy preparatory camp can be for a side:

"I want to thank all the clubs and their respective coaches for the huge part they've played in developing Indian football. You dear coaches know best that short preparation time is killing any hopes for us doing well in these major tournaments."

The Indian national football team has been on a commendable run in the last few months, winning as many as three international tournaments - all of them as hosts.

The victories in the Tri-Nation Series, the Intercontinental Cup, and the SAFF Championship have mesmerized the nation and the fans. Supporters now believe that India can produce something even more significant in the coming months.

Igor Stimac is one of those believers as well:

“I can assure you, our national teams will make sure to validate your support with our performances. Let's take our nation to the pinnacle of football, TOGETHER.”