FIFA World Cup Qualifiers | Rest and recovery is our primary concern, says Igor Stimac

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers | Rest and recovery is our primary concern, says Igor Stimac

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Indian football coach Igor Stimac on Sunday emphasised that the primary concern ahead of the qualifiers against Afghanistan and Oman is for his players to rest and recover as quickly as possible. The Blue Tigers has trained for two successive days ahead of the clashes on November 14 and 19.

After a defeat to Oman and two 1-1 draws at home, India will travel to Afghanistan first and then to Oman during the ongoing international break. However, for Stimac and the rest of the coaching staff, the primary agenda during the training camp is to sort out the minor injuries and help the players recover their energy levels. 

"Players are coming right from matches and our primary concern is to recover as quickly as possible so that they can hit the ground fresh. Our medical team are taking care of minor niggles. We are trying to utilise every second during the camp and the boys have also responded positively so far," Stimac told PTI.

On the second day of training, strength and conditioning coach Luka Radman had the boys go through a session dedicated to faster muscle recovery. Pritam Kotal, Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem, Anas Edathodika, Pronay Halder, and Farukh Choudhary wasted no time in getting into the groove.

"After the club commitments, it's now time for national team duty. We are ready to go full throttle. An away fixture is always going to be difficult but we have to be cautious and grab the opportunities to get the job done," Anas said.

Returning to the national team after the King’s Cup, Pronay Halder believes that the Blue Tigers have enough skill at their disposal to achieve the desired results.

"Our team has been in good form and we had played some great football recently. If we can play to our true potential, we can get the desired results in our next two matches," Halder said.

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