Stephen Constantine vs Khalid Jamil vs Stefan Tarkovic: Who should be India’s next head coach?

AIFF is likely to announce the next India head coach on August 1.

Stephen Constantine, Khalid Jamil, and Stefan Tarkovic—these are the three final candidates shortlisted by the AIFF for the role of the head coach of the Indian National Men’s Football Team. While the former two have plenty of experience coaching in India, Stefan is a name unheard of in the circuit.

With Manolo Marquez stepping down from his position last month and India’s hopes for qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 hanging by a thread, whoever gets the job has an uphill task of turning a sinking ship around.

In this article, we delve deep into the coaching careers of the three candidates to assess how they can help India’s case in regalvanizing a team that has been storm-swept of late.

Also Read: Exclusive: Indian Football Team to replace Malaysia in CAFA Nations Cup 2025

Stephen Constantine

Constantine is by far the safest option that India could opt for, and also perhaps the least exciting one. Indian Football faithfuls are more than used to watching the Englishman look on from the pitchside in his dark suit and shaded glasses. Having already coached the national team on two separate stints, one from 2002 to 2005 and the other from 2015 to 2019, he is well-versed in the workings of the game in the country.

He was at the helm during India’s rise from 173rd in the FIFA rankings to 96th, a rank that the nation has since not reached, currently slumped at 133rd. His moments of triumph with the Blue Tigers include lifting the SAFF Championship in 2015, the Tri-Nation Tournament in 2017 and the 2018 Intercontinental Cup. Under him, India recorded the famous 4-1 victory against Thailand in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, Constantine’s last competition as head coach.

Also Read: Looking back at Stephen Constantine’s stints with Indian Football Team

Constantine comes with a wealth of experience in coaching in the subcontinent, having also managed neighbours Nepal and Pakistan, along with East Bengal Football Club. He has also been in charge of other clubs in Cyprus and Greece. He holds a high win percentage of 57% with the Blue Tigers, which can help his case for a potential third stint.

However, a return to Constantine, and also a return to his pragmatic footballing style, may seem like a step back, given how India had desperately tried to play possession-based attacking football under Igor Stimac. With his departure in 2019, it felt as if the nation was finally on the brink of a more positive brand of football with emerging talents like Ashique Kuruniyan, Anirudh Thapa, and Udanta Singh in the mix.

However, the luxury of such thought is now a thing of the past as the Blue Tigers could benefit from some discipline and rigour in their football, which has been nothing short of tragic lately.

Khalid Jamil

If Constantine is the easiest choice, then Khalid Jamil is surely the riskiest. Not because he does not have the track record to show for it. Jamil is the recipient of the AIFF Men’s Coach of the Year for two years running, led Aizawl FC to a historic I-League win in 2017, and most recently coached Jamshedpur FC to the final of the Indian Super Cup 2025.

However, no Indian coach has taken up the job permanently in the last fourteen years. The last manager from the country was Savio Medeira, and his tenure lasted for a meagre five months. With no confirmation of how long the contract will be, Jamil could be in for a tough time if one were to assess the situation historically.

When Armando Colaco, one of the most successful Indian coaches in recent times, was handed a one-year contract in 2011, he refused. In a 2022 interview after Igor Stimac was handed an extension, he said, “I have had nothing against Štimac, but I have often wondered whether Indian coaches would get a similar long run. Results cannot come overnight, particularly when a coach has a new philosophy and new ideas. You need to give him time. You need to be patient. I could have achieved results with the national team but didn’t get time.” One wonders if the same could happen with Khalid Jamil.

Khalid Jamil is no stranger to pressure. He has coached both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, and also has 40 caps for his nation from his playing days. However, it is in coaching the underdogs that Jamil has consistently thrived, be it for Aizawl, NorthEast United, or Jamshedpur. His win ratios soar with these clubs at 61%, 54% (as interim coach), and 50% respectively.

If he were to take the reins of the Blue Tigers, he would find himself in a similar situation, with tough Asian Cup qualifiers on the horizon. Will AIFF finally let a capable Indian coach take charge and give him time to play his football like with foreign managers? Only time will tell.

Stefan Tarkovic

Finally, we have the wild card. What do we know about Stefan Tarkovic? Having started his coaching career all the way back in 1998, Tarkovic has only coached nations in the last seven years, namely Slovakia and Kyrgyzstan. He managed Slovakia in the UEFA Euros 2020, and although placed in a tough group with Poland, Spain and Sweden, they defeated the Polish in their opener and fell short by two points to qualify for the knockout stages.

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

His win ratios are not convincing – 36% for Slovakia and 31% for Kyrgyzstan, but he played some tough opponents in his tenures. With Kyrgyzstan, Tarkovic led them through the qualifiers of the AFC Asian Cup 2027. Tarkovic is clearly the most high-profile option between the three candidates, having coached on some big stages.

What makes him a compelling option is a shared attribute with Jamil in that he has done well with underdogs. His emphasis on defensive solidity and counterattacks can help India in their upcoming qualifiers as they try to bounce back from a lack of form.

What lies ahead for India’s next head coach?

India’s new head coach will begin his tenure with a tough set of fixtures. The national team is currently ranked 133rd in the FIFA Rankings and sits at the bottom of its group in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers.

India will also take part in the CAFA Nations Cup 2025, which is scheduled to be held from August 31 to September 8. His first matches are expected to be against Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan in the same.

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