New Delhi, July 26 (IANS) The All India Football Federation (AIFF) said it received emails claiming to be job applications from Spanish coaches Pep Guardiola and Xavi Hernandez for the role of men’s national team head coach. However, since the AIFF couldn’t verify if the emails were real, they believe the applications are fake.

The AIFF Technical Committee recently met to evaluate 170 applications received for the position of head coach of the Indian men’s national team. Following comprehensive discussions and a rigorous selection process, 10 candidates were selected for the committee to review and narrowed it down to three candidates – Khalid Jamil, Stephen Constantine and Stefan Tark.

I. M. Vijayan, Chairperson, Technical Committee, stated, “Given the immediate needs of the national team, it is advisable to recommend three coaches from the shortlisted pool for final consideration. Other prominent applicants, many of whom are highly qualified international coaches, will be taken into account for long-term strategic roles in the future.”

A key takeaway from the deliberations was the shared view that appointing a coach with a deep understanding of the Asian and Indian football ecosystem would be highly beneficial to the national team’s immediate and future success.

Subrata Paul, Director, National Teams, said, “It is a very important moment for Indian football, and we are committed to appointing a coach who not only brings technical expertise but also understands the unique style, culture, and dynamics of Indian and Asian football. We believe such a coach will be able to connect with our players quickly and effectively. Our focus is on finding a result-oriented professional who can maximise performance within the available resources and contribute meaningfully to the growth and future direction of Indian football.”

–IANS

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