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Former Bengaluru FC coach Albert Roca and former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson are reportedly the front-runners to be appointed as India’s next coach of the men’s football team. The post is vacant since Stephen Constantine decided to step down after India were knocked out of the AFC Asian Cup.

AIFF president Praful Patel revealed that the Indian governing body will most likely appoint a permanent national coach to replace Stephen Constantine by the end of April itself. Big names such as Sam Allardyce, Sven Goran Eriksson, and others have been rumoured to have applied for the job.

The Indian football team has climbed two slots from 103 to be ranked 101 in the recent update of the FIFA rankings for the national teams. The Blue Tigers, who are still waiting for a new coach, have a total tally of 1219 points and are 18th among all Asian countries on the list.

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.