Albert Roca among 40 applicants for position of India’s football coach : Reports

04/02/2019

It has been reported that around 40 people, including many highly rated European coaches, have applied for the position of the coach of the Indian football team. The list includes names like Giovanni De Biase, Albert Roca, Hakan Ericson, among others, as the AIFF zero in on the ideal candidate.

Stephen Constantine had resigned from the position of Indian football team’s head coach at the start of the year instantly after India were eliminated in the group stages in the AFC Asian Cup in UAE. The AIFF (All India Football Federation) had later opened up applications for the vacant spot, the last date for which ended on March 29. And it has now been reported that the apex governing body has received an overwhelming response with as many as 40 applications for the post, most of whom are Europeans.

The list includes many prominent names like Italian Giovanni De Biasi, who had a very successful stint with the Albanian national team, Spaniard Albert Roca, former Bengaluru FC coach, and Swede Hakan Ericson, who has coached his country’s U-21 team. The list also includes the likes of Italian Massimiliano Maddaloni, Dutch Eelco Schattorie, Englishman Ashley Westwood, and Croatians Igor Štimac and Robert Jarni.

"Roca, De Biasi, Ericson, Croats Igor Stimac and Robert Jarni have reportedly applied for the India head coach's job to replace Englishman Stephen Constantine. Massimiliano Maddaloni, who was assistant to Marcello Lippi in China, NEUFC coach Eelco Schattorie and former BFC coach Ashley Westwood are also in the race,” sources said, reported TOI.

Previous reports had even claimed that Sven-Göran Eriksson and Sam Allardyce were in contention, but with the entry of De Biasi, he becomes the biggest contender for the position. The remuneration for the top job is also expected to go up to $3,50,000 to $4,00,000 per annum, from the earlier salary of $3,00,000 per annum.

The AIFF officials have chosen to remain mum, and have abstained themselves from revealing any names.

"We will get a clear picture only after the shortlist is made," they said.