I’m a Premier League cult hero but needed heart surgery from stress of trying to lead football minnows to World Cup

FORMER Premier League star Igor Stimac has revealed the stress of being India’s national coach drove him to need HEART SURGERY.

The Croatian defender had top-flight spells with Derby County and West Ham between 1995 and 2001.

Stimac took charge of India five years ago, but was sacked earlier this month after the Blue Tigers missed out on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

The 56-year-old was accused of using an astrologer to help him pick his teams last autumn.

He has now hit out at India’s FA, claiming the pressure they imposed put him in hospital.

Stimac declared: “When I told the AIFF last December that the World Cup qualifiers were more important than the Asian Cup I received a final warning.

“No-one knows this, but I finished in the hospital.

“I was really disturbed with everything that was going on, stressed and suffering from obvious problems at that time.

“I had immediate heart surgery, getting two stents put in.

“After being released home I was not ready to speak to anyone or find excuses.”

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Stimac said he brought in former England, QPR, West Ham and Manchester City winger Trevor Sinclair to help him out.

The Croatian added: “Many people asked why I invited Trevor Sinclair to help us.

“Now you will probably understand why I needed help from someone who knows how I can work and whom I can trust.

“After having the surgery at the beginning of December, I had to make sure someone is there with me.

“So that if anything happened to me, he could help [fellow assistant manager] Mahesh Gawli and the coaches to organise the work.”

Stimac has also managed his home country as well as clubs in Croatia, Iran and Qatar.

The defender played for Derby between 1995 and 1999, then spent the next two seasons with West Ham.

He made 127 league appearances, scoring four goals, before rejoining former club Hajduk Split.

India have never qualified for a World Cup finals despite football‘s vast popularity across the subcontinent.

Their most successful-ever player, striker Sunil Chhetri, was linked with Leeds and QPR – but never landed a move to England.