Since Stephen Constantine resigned as Indian football men's coach following the team's failure to make the knockouts of the AFC Asian Cup, the vacant seat has attracted more than 250 applications.
Since Stephen Constantine resigned as Indian football men's coach following the team's failure to make the knockouts of the AFC Asian Cup, the vacant seat has attracted more than 250 applications.
While the All India Football Federation (AIFF) sources denied that they are not exactly looking to recruit high-profile names, the applicants include established names like Italian Giovanni De Biasi, Hakan Ericson of Sweden, France's Raymond Domenech and England's Sam Allardyce.
The list of applicants also includes coaches from the Indian Super League and I-League. Bengaluru FC's highly successful former coach Albert Roca applied for the role.
Spanish Antonio Habas and Venezuelan Cesar Farias also sent in their applications through their agents. While Habas remained the coach of Atletico Kolkata and FC Pune City, Farias, managed NorthEast United FC.
"The big names doing the rounds need not necessarily fulfil the criteria of the AIFF. Early next week the concerned committee will make a short-list and the candidates would then be interviewed by the technical committee, and based on its recommendations, the executive committee would make the appointment from among the final list," an AIFF source said.
AIFF general secretary Kushal Das, however, said that they would appoint a coach based on the team's requirements and not get carried away by big names.
"Our idea is to first shortlist the candidates according to their credentials. Priority could be given to those who are having UEFA licenses. Previous experience of coaching national teams, especially who remained among the top 75 in FIFA rankings, would also help," the official said.
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