Croatia’s former manager Igor Stimac is set to become Indian football team’s head coach after the All India Football Federation’s technical committee on Thursday recommended his name for the top job.
The 51-year-old Stimac, a member of the Croatian team that finished third in the 1998 World Cup, has got the nod from the committee which interviewed four shortlisted candidates on Friday.
“We have recommended Igor Stimac’s name to the All India Football Federation Executive Committee after interviewing all the four candidates. We found him as the best suited to become India coach,” committee Chairman Shyam Thapa told PTI.
The AIFF is likely to officially announce Stimac’s appointment as India coach on Saturday. Stimac has pipped former Bengaluru FC manager Albert Roca to the post.
Stimac was the only candidate who turned up in person for the interview while the other three – South Korean Lee Min-sung, Spaniard Alberto Roca and Hakan Ericson of Sweden – were interviewed via skype.
The newly-appointed Technical Director Doru Isac was also present during interview of the candidates.
The position has been lying vacant after Stephen Constantine quit the post following India’s AFC Asian Cup campaign earlier this year.
Owing to the Indian team’s spirited showing in the AFC Asian Cup and a run of 13-match unbeaten streak prior to that, more than 250 candidates, including some top names from Europe, have applied for the job since Stephen Constantine resigned.
Stimac was in charge of the Croatian national team from 2012 to 2013.
In club football, the former centre back has had brief spells in charge of Hajduk Split, Cibalia, NK Zagreb and Zadar, Iranian club Sepahan and Qatari club Al-Shahania.
Factors like cost, the applicant’s familiarity with Asian football, as well as their ability to contribute to grassroots development will be taken into consideration while appointing the coach.
The Indian team is scheduled to play matches in the Kings Cup on June 5 and June 8, and a preparatory national camp will be held under the new coach in the third week of May. The Kings Cup, where India will be featuring after four decades, will be the new coach’s first assignment.
(With PTI inputs)