Latest news with #AllIndiaFootballFederation
Time of India
a day ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Robbie Fowler, Harry Kewell apply for India coach job
PANAJI: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has received 170 applications for the national team coach job, significantly lower than the 291 who applied for the same position it advertised last year. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The AIFF invited applications on July 4 after accepting Manolo Marquez's resignation at its executive committee meeting on July 2. The AIFF has not revealed the list of applicants, but those in the know confirmed several names who have shown interest. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! These include former Liverpool stars Robbie Fowler and Harry Kewell, former Brazil U-17 coach Caio Zanardie and former Barcelona reserves manager Jordi Vinyals, who spent the last three years at Chinese Super League side Zhejiang Professional. Peter Segrt, former coach of Tajikistan, Maldives, and Afghanistan, has also knocked on AIFF's doors. Among the more familiar names, there's Stephen Constantine, who has managed more matches (73) than any other coach during his two stints with the national team. The English coach was last seen in India with East Bengal in 2022-23. Should the AIFF choose to look at higher-profile coaches working in India, they have two (ISL) champions in Spaniards Antonio Lopez Habas and Sergio Lobera, both among the more successful coaches in the top tier of Indian football. Among the home-grown coaches, Khalid Jamil, Sanjoy Sen and top the list. The AIFF will now go through the applications and prepare a long list. The new coach will have to take over the national team and boost its chances of making it to the AFC Asian Cup 2027.
India Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
Indian Super League: Chennaiyin FC, Owen Coyle part ways by mutual consent
Chennaiyin FC have officially parted ways with head coach Owen Coyle, ending the Scotsman's second stint with the club. The decision was confirmed on Thursday, July 17, via a social media post thanking Coyle for his contributions and wishing him well for the return ahead of the 2023–24 season came with high expectations. In his previous spell during the 2019–20 campaign, he had turned around a struggling side and led them to the Indian Super League (ISL) final. However, his second stint failed to replicate that success. Chennaiyin FC finished 11th in the standings with just 27 points from 24 matches, a disappointing outcome for a club with a strong fan base and history in the league. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chennaiyin FC (@chennaiyinfc)advertisementThroughout the season, the team struggled for consistency. Their home form was particularly poor, with only three wins at the Marina Arena. While they managed four wins on the road, it wasn't enough to sustain a playoff challenge. Defensive lapses proved to be a recurring issue, with the team dropping 11 points from winning positions — a stat that highlighted their inability to close out games and maintain control under pressure. Despite the team's struggles, there were a few positives. One of the brightest sparks was young Indian striker Irfan Yadwad, who thrived under Coyle's guidance. He ended the regular season with the highest number of goal contributions by an Indian player, showcasing his potential and making a strong case for national team departure has also been followed by the exit of one of his trusted players, Conor Shields. These exits suggest that a major rebuild may be in the works as the club looks to start the same time, uncertainty continues to cloud the broader landscape of Indian football, with the ongoing standoff between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) regarding the league's Master Rights Agreement. This has added to the delays in off-season planning for several ISL FC are yet to announce a new head coach, but the next appointment could be a crucial one. With the right leadership and clearer direction, the club will be hoping to return to the playoff mix and re-establish themselves as one of the ISL's competitive forces.- Ends
Hans India
6 days ago
- Sport
- Hans India
Indian football has gone from bad to worse in last 24 months
New Delhi: Indian football has gone from bad to worse in the past 24 months and a new book that has recently hit the stands gives a blow by blow account of how the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its president Kalyan Chaubey allegedly lost the plot. Indian men's team's FIFA rankings has plummeted to a lowly 133, the worst in nine years, and the top tier Indian Super League's upcoming season which was supposed to start in a couple of months is still in a limbo as its organisers Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) and the AIFF are yet to renew the Masters Rights Agreement (MRA). In his book 'Who Stole My Football', renowned journalist Jaydeep Basu has given an insider's account of what he termed as a systemic breakdown of Indian football, including financial mismanagement, under Chaubey's stewardship. Basu had worked as AIFF's Media Director and has been privy to the developments in the organization which he has chronicled in detail. 'The entire professional structure of the AIFF secretariat suffered a breakdown since 2024. The laid down process of appointments was not followed in many instances,' Basu wrote in his book. According to Basu, the situation 'reached its lowest ebb after Anilkumar took over as the secretary general'. Anilkumar, who became AIFF Secretary General after Shaji Prabhakaran was sacked in November 2023, had to leave his post earlier this year after his appointment was stayed by the Delhi High Court. The book also gives detailed account of how ill-prepared Indian football team was when it played in the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023. The Indian football team played its first group match just hours after reaching the Games Village in Hangzhou as the AIFF was able to stitch a second-rung squad in the last minute. The team had failed to advance to the knock-out round. Chaubey's frosty relations with Croatian legend and former India head coach Igor Stimac also found mention in the book. 'Stimac was bitterly disappointed when Chaubey, without consulting the national coach, finalised India's participation in the Merdeka Cup in 2024 during FIFA international window.
NDTV
16-07-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Indian Football Mess: New Book Chronicles AIFF's Downward Spiral
Indian football has gone from bad to worse in the past 24 months and a new book that has recently hit the stands gives a blow by blow account of how the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its president Kalyan Chaubey allegedly lost the plot. Indian men's team's FIFA rankings has plummeted to a lowly 133, the worst in nine years, and the top tier Indian Super League's upcoming season which was supposed to start in a couple of months is still in a limbo as its organisers Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) and the AIFF are yet to renew the Masters Rights Agreement (MRA). In his book 'Who Stole My Football', renowned journalist Jaydeep Basu has given an insider's account of what he termed as a systemic breakdown of Indian football, including financial mismanagement, under Chaubey's stewardship. Basu had worked as AIFF's Media Director and has been privy to the developments in the organization which he has chronicled in detail. "The entire professional structure of the AIFF secretariat suffered a breakdown since 2024. The laid down process of appointments was not followed in many instances," Basu wrote in his book. According to Basu, the situation "reached its lowest ebb after Anilkumar took over as the secretary general". Anilkumar, who became AIFF Secretary General after Shaji Prabhakaran was sacked in November 2023, had to leave his post earlier this year after his appointment was stayed by the Delhi High Court. The book also gives detailed account of how ill-prepared Indian football team was when it played in the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023. The Indian football team played its first group match just hours after reaching the Games Village in Hangzhou as the AIFF was able to stitch a second-rung squad in the last minute. The team had failed to advance to the knock-out round. Chaubey's frosty relations with Croatian legend and former India head coach Igor Stimac also found mention in the book. "Stimac was bitterly disappointed when Chaubey, without consulting the national coach, finalised India's participation in the Merdeka Cup in 2024 during FIFA international window. "Stimac's biggest complaint was that he never had a chance to explain his side of the story and his plans with the national team because he was hardly given an audience," he wrote in the book. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'Everybody is worried, hurt, scared': Sunil Chhetri on uncertainty over ISL's future, urges 'calm'
With the future of Indian football pending resolution and the upcoming season suspended indefinitely, has stepped up to address growing anxiety across the footballing community. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The 40-year-old took to social media with a heartfelt message directed at the players, support staff, and all those whose livelihoods depend on the sport. The Indian Super League (ISL), which was set to begin pre-season shortly, has been put on hold amid ongoing discussions between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its commercial partners over the league's structure and finances. The delay, which began as a two-week postponement, has now stretched into an indefinite suspension, triggering concern and confusion across clubs. Chhetri began his post on a X with a light note, writing, " When my phone went off a few weeks ago informing us of a delay in pre-season by a fortnight, I must admit it made me smile. And that's because I was on vacation, hadn't moved as much as I would have liked to, and hadn't been eating as clean as I usually do. I had more time than I had bargained to get in shape." "But that smile didn't last. That 'fortnight' has now changed to 'indefinitely' and that smile's been wiped out. It began with worrying about how I am on borrowed time with what I have left in the tank. But speaking with players from across clubs, I've realised that my selfish problem isn't as important." The veteran striker admitted that concern is widespread, not just among footballers but across the vast network of backroom staff that keeps the league running . "Everybody in the Indian football ecosystem is worried, hurt, scared about the uncertainty we are faced with," he wrote. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Acknowledging the efforts being made by the administrators, Chhetri remained hopeful for a resolution. "I know that the think tank and all those involved in running the sport are working to get the football season up and running, and I'm hopeful that there is a solid fix sooner rather than later." The player once again called for calm and perseverance, saying that football 'will' resume soon in the country. Poll Do you believe that Indian football will resume soon? Yes, definitely No, the situation is too complicated "I may not have all the answers, but my message to all those involved with Indian football – and more importantly the ones whose livelihood depends on it… please stay calm. We'll ride this storm together. Stick together and look out for each other. Keep training and getting better. Football has to resume soon. It will." From physios and masseurs to operations staff, kitmen, medical teams and production crews, an entire network of professionals exist, whose livelihood and income banks on whether the top football division in the country gets back on track or not.
