AIFF Technical Committee recommends Indian coach for senior women's national team
New Delhi, March 24
The Technical Committee of the All India Football Federation on Tuesday recommended to the federation to appoint an Indian coach to manage the senior women's national team, replacing Amelia Valverde. It also suggested that Renjith TA be appointed as the assistant coach of the senior men's Indian football team.
The All India Football Federation's Technical Committee met online on Tuesday to discuss the future of both the men's and women's national teams and thanked Amelia Valverde, who led the Indian women's team as the head coach at the AFC Women's Asian Cup, while making its recommendations.
The meeting was chaired by IM Vijayan, along with members Harjinder Singh, Shabbir Ali, Victor Amalraj, Climax Lawrence, and Santosh Singh, who recommended that the Federation look at Indian coaches as possible options to take over as the head coach of the senior Indian women's national team, which has returned from their AFC Women's Asian Cup campaign earlier this month.
The Technical Committee thanked Amelia Valverde, who led the Indian women's team as the head coach at the AFC Women's Asian Cup, and wished her the very best for her future endeavours.
"The TC opined that with matches coming up for the women's team in the April FIFA International Window, and the SAFF Women's Championship to be held in June, this would be a good opportunity for an Indian coach to take charge. A final decision on the same will be taken soon," the AIFF informed in a report on its official website on Tuesday.
The TC recommended that, as Mahesh Gawali has been appointed head coach of the India U20 national team to oversee the transition of players from the junior to the senior level, Renjith TA will be appointed as the assistant coach of the senior men's Indian football team.
Furthermore, the committee recommended the formation of a study group with one Technical Committee member, one AIFF coach instructor, and a scout to analyse the matches of the India U23 men's national team at the U23 Tri-Nation in Arunachal Pradesh. The group will assess player performance and decide who may be ready for the senior level, while also identifying the areas where the team needs to improve.
— IANS
Reader Comments
While I support promoting Indian coaches, I hope this decision is based purely on merit and not just sentiment. The women's team needs the best possible guidance to compete at the Asian level. Who are the potential candidates?
As a member of the committee, I can say the discussion was thorough. We believe in our coaches. The April window and SAFF Championship are the perfect platforms for an Indian coach to build a system for the long term. Jai Hind!
Good to see Renjith TA getting a role with the senior men's team too. Consistent promotion from within is key. But the pressure will be immense on the new women's coach – they need full backing from AIFF, not just a title.
Finally! Our women's team has shown great heart. They deserve a coach who shares their cultural context and can communicate without barriers. Wishing Amelia Valverde all the best, and a warm welcome to her successor!
The focus on a 'study group' for the U23s is very smart. That's how you build a pipeline. Hope this is a sign of more systematic planning from AIFF and not just a one-off meeting. The proof will be in the results on the pitch.
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