The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has closed applications for the next head coach of the Indian national football men team, attracting 170 applicants from across the world.
This search comes at a turbulent moment for Indian football a period defined by disappointing results, a fall in FIFA rankings, and growing questions about the structural health of the sport in the country.
As the AIFF prepares to select the next figurehead, it faces a choice that will define not only the team’s prospects for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers but also the long-term direction of Indian football.
A backdrop of struggle: Performance & ranking slide
In the last 18 months, the Indian national team has stumbled from one inconsistent performance to another. The campaign included a morale-boosting 3-0 friendly win over Maldives, but was overshadowed by a costly 0-1 loss to Hong Kong in June’s Asian Cup qualifier a result that ultimately marked the end of Spanish coach Manolo Marquez’s tenure.
India’s FIFA ranking has slid to 133rd as of July 2025, its lowest in eight years and a stark fall from the brief high of 99 in mid-2023. Once viewed as a team with potential to regularly break into the top 100, India now faces an uphill task in even qualifying for the continent’s biggest competition.
The broader picture is equally troubling: a domestic league (the ISL) clouded by contractual uncertainty, limited international exposure for youth teams, and systemic issues like age fraud and uneven grassroots development. These challenges form the backdrop against which any new coach must work.
Who wants the job? A diverse but changed applicant pool
AIFF’s call for applications between July 4–13, 2025, attracted 170 candidates a substantial number, yet notably fewer than the 291 applications received last year. Crucially, insiders note a dip in the proportion of “big-name” international coaches, with fewer former World Cup managers or top European club coaches showing interest.
Instead, the applicant pool combines:
- Globally known ex-players: Robbie Fowler and Harry Kewell, both former Liverpool stars, bring high-profile appeal and prior coaching experience, including stints in Asia.
- Experienced foreign managers: Coaches like Peter Segrt (ex-Tajikistan & Maldives), Roel Coumans (Australia’s 2018 World Cup staff), and Jordi Vinyals (former Barcelona reserves manager) bring varied international résumés.
- Indian Super League veterans: Proven winners like Sergio Lobera and Antonio Lopez Habas, who know Indian football intimately.
- Home-grown Indian coaches: Khalid Jamil, Sanjoy Sen, and Stephen Constantine, each offering deep knowledge of Indian football’s landscape and local players.
What the AIFF is looking for
In its official criteria, the AIFF demanded:
- At least 10–15 years of coaching experience at elite youth/senior levels.
- Minimum of an AFC/UEFA Pro license.
- Strong “cultural sensitivity” and a proven ability to manage relationships with federation officials, media, and sponsors.
- Experience in World Cup or continental championship qualifiers is a plus.
This blend of tactical ability and political acumen reflects lessons from recent history especially the tension between ex-coach Igor Stimac and federation leadership. The AIFF is not just looking for a tactician; it wants a collaborator who can navigate the unique administrative environment of Indian football.
Why fewer “big names”?
Several factors explain the drop in elite-level interest:
- Team’s recent decline: Poor results and falling rankings lower the job’s prestige.
- ISL instability: The uncertainty over the Master Rights Agreement, set to expire in December 2025, makes the domestic ecosystem unpredictable.
- Structural flaws: Critics cite deep-rooted issues limited grassroots development, lack of competitive culture, and over-reliance on foreign strikers which make success harder to guarantee.
- Salary gap: While the prior coach reportedly earned around $30,000 per month, competitive by Indian standards, this remains modest compared to what top-tier international coaches typically command.
The strategic dilemma: Indian familiarity vs. foreign pedigree
AIFF must now choose between:
- A foreign coach: Brings new tactical ideas, international exposure, and potentially raises the team’s global profile.
- A domestic coach: Offers cultural understanding, rapport with Indian players, lower costs, and alignment with grassroots development needs.
Names like Khalid Jamil stand out among Indian candidates. As the first Indian to guide a team to the ISL semi-finals and a past I-League winner with Aizawl FC, Jamil has shown he can inspire squads without star power.
Meanwhile, international applicants like Sergio Lobera and Antonio Lopez Habas combine success in India’s top league with broader global experience, positioning themselves as potential middle paths.
Beyond tactics: systemic challenges await
The new coach will inherit a squad needing immediate results in Asian Cup qualifiers, but real success depends on addressing:
- An underperforming youth system, where U20 and U23 teams lack competitive matches.
- Limited playing time for Indian strikers in ISL clubs dominated by foreign forwards.
- Inconsistent refereeing and inadequate scouting networks.
- The risk of domestic league disruption amid legal disputes and governance reforms.
Success will demand not just better match preparation, but also advocacy for systemic reforms: better grassroots pathways, reduced foreign quotas in key positions, and investment in youth leagues.
The way forward
AIFF’s task is as complex as it is critical:
- Shortlist and interview candidates rigorously, looking beyond CVs to strategic vision and cultural adaptability.
- Stabilize the ISL and clarify the league’s future without which the national team’s growth will remain fragile.
- Empower the new coach to influence youth development, player pathways, and league policy.
The next head coach must be more than a tactician; they must be a leader, diplomat, and reformer. The choice AIFF makes in the coming weeks will signal whether Indian football remains trapped in cycles of short-termism or truly begins a long-term journey towards global competitiveness.
With names from Liverpool legends to local tacticians in the mix, fans, players, and pundits now wait to see who will take the challenge. One thing is clear: this is about far more than the next match it’s about the future shape of Indian football itself.
