New Delhi [India], July 5 : All India Football Federation President Kalyan Chaubey is hopeful that the next head coach will be appointed by the end of July.
The AIFF released a statement to confirm that a total of 291 applications were received for the position of senior men's team head coach, which was left vacant after Igor Stimac's departure.
"The All India Football Federation's advertisement inviting applications for the vacant post of Senior National Men's Team head coach has evoked an overwhelming response," AIFF said in a statement.
"As the window for applying for the post ended on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, a total of 291 applications were received from all over the world. Out of this, 100 applicants have UEFA Pro License diplomas against their names. While 20 of the applicants hold AFC Pro License diplomas, three have CONMEBOL licenses. The AIFF will scrutinise all the applications and shortlist suitable candidates for the coveted job," the statement added.
Stimac's contract was terminated on June 17 after AIFF senior officials held a virtual meeting with the Croatian.
After witnessing the response, Kalyan Chaubey, said in a statement released by the AIFF, "We have received an overwhelming response with some of the marquee names having expressed their interest in India. As we get ready to write a new chapter in Indian football, it's crucial for us to have a coach who is committed to the development of Indian football, to understand our culture and help design the national football philosophy."
"We are hoping to onboard the candidate by the end of July, to ensure India utilise the September FIFA window participation. As a next step, our committee headed by AIFF Vice President MNA Haris (along with Committee Chairpersons of Technical, League, Competitions, Finance, Development and the Treasurer) will review the applications before placing the selected list with the Executive Committee," he added.
A couple of days after his contract was terminated, Stimac accused AIFF and its president, Kalyan Chaubey, and stated that he would file a lawsuit if his dues were not cleared in ten days.
AIFF released a statement stating that the comments made by Stimac were done with "the sole intent of maligning the AIFF and showing its personnel in poor light."
The Federation also acknowledged that Stimac used an astrologer to determine team selection and player call-ups. AIFF also claimed that there were concerns regarding his coaching style and tactics.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor