IGOR Stimac warned that Indian football is a decade behind Asia's best and threatened to quit as national coach unless there are "drastic" changes.
The 54-year-old Croat, who played in the Premier League with West Ham and Derby, was appointed in 2019 by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
But the governing body is in disarray and being run by administrators after former chief Praful Patel stayed in office beyond his term without fresh elections, which courts ruled invalid.
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The management problems were compounding a chronic lack of football development that has left India "eight to 10 years behind the top-eight Asian countries", Stimac said.
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"How are we going to get there? So let's wake up," the former defender told reporters Wednesday.
Stimac took aim at the AIFF's stalled leadership transition a day after India celebrated their place at next year's Asian Cup with a 4-0 home demolition of Hong Kong to top their qualifying group.
"I am not getting into who is right and who is wrong," Stimac said of the power struggle at the top of Indian football.
"It is not my job. I am just talking about timing. At such an important time, such a thing is happening, is anyone normal?"
Stimac said he was coaching the team with a salary "lower than my asking price" and would only continue beyond his September contract expiry if certain conditions were met.
Among them are an overhaul of the domestic I-League, including prioritising the development of local talent.
"We need to reduce foreigners altogether from the I-League going forward if we want to go forward," he said.
"Some things will need to change drastically.
"In the future, if I am here, the league will need to stop when I say, for as many days as I think is needed for the national team to prepare to go higher," he added.
Security personnel inspect the site in the aftermath of an attack as food stall chairs lie empty in Pahalgam, about 90 kilometres (55 miles) from Srinagar on April 23, 2025. Indian security forces in Kashmir carried out a major manhunt on April 23, a day after gunmen opened fire on tourists killing 26 people in the region's deadliest attack on civilians since 2000. Getty Images
Tourists visit Betaab Valley in Pahalgam, about 112 km south of Srinagar on June 26, 2025.Getty Images
Pilgrims gather at the Baltal Base Camp near Domel, en route to the sacred Amarnath cave in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, on July 29, 2025. The annual Amarnath Yatra, which began on July 3, proceeds under heightened security following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local pony handler. Security forces have been deployed in large numbers across the pilgrimage route, with checkpoints, surveillance, and restrictions in place to safeguard the thousands of devotees undertaking the arduous journey. The Amarnath Yatra is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimages, drawing worshippers from across India to the high-altitude Himalayan shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Despite the threat of violence and challenging terrain, pilgrims continue their spiritual trek, determined to complete the sacred journey under the shadow of grief and resilience.Getty Images
