AIFF set to finalise new Indian Football team head coach in 10 days, says President Kalyan Chaubey

AIFF received 163 applications for the job of Indian football team head coach.

The Indian football fraternity is on the edge of its seat as the All India Football Federation (AIFF) moves towards appointing a new head coach for the Indian football team.

AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey has revealed that the appointment of the next head coach of the Indian football team will likely be made within the next 10 days.

He made this statement during a press briefing organised by the Indian Olympic Association, addressing the ongoing selection process following the departure of Manolo Marquez.

Speaking to the media, Chaubey confirmed that the AIFF’s executive committee would make the final decision, and the announcement would follow shortly after

“I think 10 days from now, if all goes smoothly,” said Chaubey, “We will hold an executive committee meeting and thereafter the name of the head coach will be announced.”

The men’s national team has been without a head coach since July 2nd, when the AIFF Executive Committee agreed to part ways with Manolo Marquez after he expressed his intentions to step down.

This was after a series of bad results for the Blue Tigers, where they first lost to Thailand 0-2 in a friendly and then 0-1 against Hong Kong in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers.

Also Read: Who is Stefan Tarkovic? Slovakian manager shortlisted for vacant Indian head coach position

AIFF shortlists three final candidates

The AIFF’s technical committee has already shortlisted three candidates from a pool of over 160 applicants. These names were finalised following interviews conducted by the committee, which included Subrata Paul and Syed Sabir Pasha.

The panel also took advice from respected coaches Armando Colaco and Bimal Ghosh. The final three include Stephen Constantine, Khalid Jamil and Stefan Tarkovic, each bringing a different flavour of coaching experience.

Constantine has showcased that plenty of times in his two stints with the Blue Tigers, taking them from 173rd in the FIFA rankings to as high as 96. Khalid Jamil has constantly done well with teams that aren’t often considered favourites, notably winning an unprecedented I-League title in 2017 with Aizawl FC against all odds.

For Stefan Tarkovic, despite having managed Slovakia in a competition like the UEFA Euro Championship in 2020, he has had to resort to defensive solidity to stop teams such as Spain, Poland, and Sweden, with whom Slovakia shared the group. They also managed to pull off a shock victory against Robert Lewandowski’s Poland after a terrific display of defensive football accentuated with counterattacks.

What happens next for the Blue Tigers?

While the shortlist has been prepared, the duration of the incoming coach’s contract—whether short-term or long-term—has not yet been decided. The AIFF is expected to finalise these details in the coming days. The urgency is evident, with India scheduled to return to action in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers in October.

This leaves very little time for the new coach to assess the squad and implement his tactical vision. With the executive committee meeting on the horizon, Indian football fans can expect clarity on the next chapter of the Blue Tigers’ journey within the next few days.

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