The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is currently evaluating candidates for the head coach position of the Indian men's national football team, and the applicant pool includes some well-known names from both international and domestic football. The AIFF has received 170 applications for the job. This is less than the 291 applications received in 2023. The application window, opened on July 4th after Manolo Marquez's resignation, closed on July 13th.
Among the international names in contention are Robbie Fowler, a Liverpool legend who previously managed Brisbane Roar and East Bengal, and Harry Kewell, another former Liverpool player who is currently part of Celtic's backroom staff. Fowler is considered a charismatic leader with a strong understanding of attacking football. Kewell brings European experience and tactical knowledge to the table. Their interest highlights the growing international recognition of Indian football.
Besides Fowler and Kewell, the list includes coaches with experience at various levels. Caio Zanardi, former Brazil U-17 coach, Jordi Vinyals, ex-head of FC Barcelona's reserves, and Peter Segrt, who has coached Afghanistan, Maldives, and Tajikistan, have also applied. Other international contenders include Aritz Lopez Garai, currently managing Mauritania, and Roel Coumans, who was part of Australia's 2018 FIFA World Cup coaching staff.
Stephen Constantine, who has already coached India twice (2002-2005 and 2015-2019), is also vying for the position. Constantine holds the record for managing the most matches (73) as India's coach and has won four trophies with the national team: LG Cup (2002), SAFF Cup (2015), Tri Nation Series (2017), and Inter-Continental Cup (2018). He also coached East Bengal in the Indian Super League (ISL) in 2022-23. During his second stint, he took the Blue Tigers to 96th on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking in 2017.
Several Indian coaches have also applied, including Khalid Jamil, Sanjoy Sen, and Santosh Kashyap. The AIFF may also consider Antonio Lopez Habas and Sergio Lobera, both Spanish coaches and Indian Super League (ISL) champions.
The AIFF's technical team, led by national team director Subrata Paul and technical director Syed Sabir Pasha, will assess the applications and create a shortlist for the AIFF's technical committee. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed, with a final decision expected before India's next AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying matches. The AIFF aims to appoint a coach who can deliver results, develop the team, and improve India's global standing with a long-term focus on World Cup qualification.
Syed Sabir Pasha, the current technical director at the AIFF, is a former Indian football player who represented India from 1993 to 2001. He also served as the head coach of the Tamil Nadu football team and has been involved in youth development programs.
