Englishman Bob Houghton was on Sunday appointed India's football coach.
NEW DELHI: Englishman Bob Houghton was on Sunday appointed India's football coach.
Houghton will replace Syed Nayeemuddin, who was sacked after a string of poor performances earlier this year, and will take over the job from June 20 when he joins the national team for a training camp.
The Briton's appointment comes after All India Football Federation President Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi accepted the recommendation of the technical committee to the effect.
Houghton becomes the second foreigner to coach India after Cypriot Stephen Constantine, who lost his job to Sukhwinder Singh in the beginning of 2005.
"The AIFF President P R Dasmunsi has accepted the recommendation of the Technical Committee. Hougton will join the team from the 20th of June," AIFF General Secretary Alberto Colaco said.
"The president has also advised the AIFF general secretary to inform Houghton of his appointment and to negotiate the agreement immediately.
"Other team officials like the assistant coach, goalkeeper coach, technical director and physiotherapist shall be announced separately."
Houghton's first international assignment will be a tournament in Canada in June-July before which he will oversee a training camp in the third week of June soon after his appointment.
Houghton and Irishman Brian Kerr appeared for interviews before the technical committee on Wednesday and the panel has plumped for the Englishman as he has rich experience of coaching in Asia.
The Englishman had been before in charge of Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan and he also guided China to the World Cup in 2002.
The other two shortlisted candidates, Ian Porterfield and Clemence Westerhoff, did not come for the interviews and the former had communicated to the AIFF that he would be able to make it only in the first week of June.
Houghton played for Fulham FC from 1966-69 and Brighton from 1969 to 1970.
In his 30-year long coaching career Houghton has plied his trade in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North America and Asia with unprecedented success.
The youngest ever coach to gain an English FA Full Badge (A Licence), he has also authored three books.
At present, Houghton is coaching Shenyang Ginda in the Chinese Super League.
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