Igor Stimac had Heart Surgery due to stress from Indian Football Coaching Role

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Former India coach Igor Stimac says that he had to go through heart surgery due to the stress of Indian football.

The recently sacked Croatian manager was relieved of his duties by AIFF as India failed to qualify for the 3rd round of the World Cup qualifiers. Stimac revealed that he was stressed from the job and had to go through immediate surgery and went to be on the sidelines with the team in the Asian Cup with the condition.

"Things were changing according to social media and that is a terrible practice. Knowing we were not gonna get time for preparation, I said a few things in public and after I said the World Cup qualifiers would be more important, I received a final warning letter from AIFF," Stimac said in a press conference on Friday (June 21).

"When I received the final warning letter on December 2nd last year, I finished in the hospital. I was really disturbed with everything; stressed from obvious problems and I had immediate surgery on my heart getting two stents. I was putting myself on the line for the Asian Games when I should have been resting. In such conditions, I went to defend the colours of my country even though I am not an Indian," Stimac added.

The Croatian manager also blasted AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey and alleged the apex body of Indian football on many things which are not helping Indian football.

When asked about his immediate coaching future, the ex-India coach said that a decision from him will only come after the ongoing Euros. The Croatian also revealed that he will be going to Germany to watch a couple of matches of his country in the Euros.