Tag: AIFF

Bengaluru FC’s Ashley Westwood interested in national team job

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Image Courtesy : http://i-league.org

Image Courtesy : http://i-league.org

According to a report in Gulf News, Bengaluru FC coach Ashley Westwood has expressed interest in taking up the coaching role of Indian national team. All India Football Federation has to scout for a new manager for the national team after the current coach Wim Koevermans recently stepped down.

Ashely Westwood guided Bengaluru FC to last season’s I-league title. This was a remarkable achievement since it was Bengaluru FC’s debut appearance in India’s top tier league. Previously he has donned the role of assistant coach at English clubs; Portsmouth, Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers.

“If they think I’m good enough then obviously they would have to approach the club, but I don’t really know how that works, I’m just interested in doing a good job for whoever that would be. I’ve studied the opposition throughout India and watched a lot of football and I’ve watched it for a purpose and I’m learning all the time. That’s what I want to keep doing, I want to keep learning and striving and bettering myself, said Ashley Westwood to Gulf News.

Read more : Westwood interested in vacant India job

AIFF tying up with Brazilian club, Atletico Paranaense

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Atletico Paranaense, Brazil, India, AIFF, FIFA, U-17, World Cup, 2017, AIFF, Kushal Das, BrazilAccording a PTI report, All India Football Federation is tying up the with Brazilian club, Atletico Paranaense keeping in mind the 2017 Under-17 World Cup that is slated to take place in the country.

Kushal Das, General Secretary, AIFF was quoted as saying  “To give exposure to the players, AIFF is tying up with Brazilian team, for an exchange program of the U-17 team,”

The other points that has got a mention in the report are FIFA’s visit to India in November to inspect stadiums for 2017 U-17 World cup,  the viability of football as a profession and the need for state associations being agile for the development at grass root level. Kerala and Mizoram were picked out and mentioned by  the General Secretary on the last aspect.

Apart from the usual backing up of ISL from the federation, Kushal Das has mentioned the importance of connecting to the fans through regional languages. Star Sports will be broadcasting the new league in 5 languages – Hindi, English, Bengali, Malayalam and Kannada.

Santosh Trophy also gets a surprise mention. Apparently there are plans to telecast Santosh Trophy matches as well.

Read the report here.

Indian Football team may miss out on Asian Games 2014

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Asian Games, Football, India, Indianfootball, team, south koreaReports are surfacing that the Indian football team may miss out on participating in the upcoming Incheon Asian games 2014. With Indian Olympic Association submitting a bumper list of 900 people including athletes and officials, to the sports ministry for approval for travelling to the Sept. 19-Oct. 4 Games in the South Korean city of Incheon, sports ministry would be forced to prune the list.  

Lacklustre performance against Pakistan in the recently friendlies have also not helped the team’s chances. SAI director Jiji Thomson was in attendance at the Bangalore stadium when the Indian team comprising  mainly under-23 players took on the Pakistan team.  

Jiji Thomoson was quoted in Times of India saying  :

“I am a football fan and I was present at the match. I can only say that the performance was very disappointing,”

If the team is not cleared by the ministry, All India Football Federation would be forced to pay from their pockets to send the team for Asian games 2014. In an article in The Telegraph a senior official is quoted that the government will not bear the cost of the men’s and women’s football teams in the Asian Games 2014.

“A final decision would only be taken after a week, but there is every chance the government would not bear the cost of the men’s and women’s football teams in the Asian Games. Of course, the AIFF (All India Football Federation) can send the team on their own,” 

However this is not the first time that the football team is being forced out of Asian Games by government. In 1990 and 1994 the government had stopped the football team from going for the Asian Games.

Marquee Player for Atletico de Kolkata – Former Liverpool Star Luis Garcia

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Atletico de Kolkata, Football, India, ISL, Indian Super League, IMG, Reliance, AIFF, Atletico Madrid, Kolkata, Luis Garcia, Liverpool, BarcelonaAtletico de Kolkata, the Kolkata franchise of the upcoming Indian Super League set up with the help of Atletico Madrid has unveiled their Marquee International player for the tournament – Luis Garcia.

Atletico de Kolkata, Football, India, ISL, Indian Super League, IMG, Reliance, AIFF, Atletico Madrid, Kolkata, Luis Garcia, Liverpool, BarcelonaFormer Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool star Luis Garcia  will be donning the colours of  Atletico de Kolkata in ISL.  Garcia recruited by Rafael Benítez at Liverpool club played a crucial role in their title-winning UEFA Champions league campaign in 2005. He last appeared for Pumas de la UNAM, a Mexican professional football club.

Atletico de Kolkata, Football, India, ISL, Indian Super League, IMG, Reliance, AIFF, Atletico Madrid, Kolkata, Luis Garcia, Liverpool, Barcelona

 

As we reported earlier, the Kolkata franchise has also confirmed that Antonio López Habas, a former Spanish footballer with over 20 years of coaching experience will be their marquee coach.  

 

Jose Ramirez Barreto, Brazilian footballer who has had extensive stint in India with various clubs will also be part of the coaching team confirmed the franchise.Atletico de Kolkata, Football, India, ISL, Indian Super League, IMG, Reliance, AIFF, Atletico Madrid, Kolkata, Luis Garcia, Liverpool, Barcelona, Jose Ramirez Baretto, Brazil, Samba

 

 

Heartbreak for Kashmir, Federation Cup to be hosted in Goa

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Football, Indianfootball, Federation Cup, Kerala, SoccerAccording to a report in Times of India, Federation Cup which was to be hosted in Kashmir in May 2015 will be postponed to December 2015 and  will be shifted to Goa.

A senior official from AIFF was quoted in TOI saying “We have asked Goa if they are willing to host the tournament in December 2014. Unfortunately, there is now a change in plan and the Federation Cup cannot be played in May (2015) since the Indian team has international assignments and many players consider May as off-season,”

AIFF is finding it difficult to squeeze in different tournaments, the internationals and the upcoming Indian Super league in next year’s calendar. The report in TOI says that Federation cup was postponed because many players are busy with Asian Games preparations and the lined up International friendlies. Clubs like Dempo and Sporting Clube De Goa will be in a highly disadvantageous position if Federation Cup takes place in May. They have 5 and 4 players respectively in the Asian Games preparatory squad.

More on the same here,

 

Six Kerala kids in Goa Academy for the 2017 U-17 World Cup Camp

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AIFF, FIFA. Goa, U-17, World Cup, India, Football, Indianfootball, Soccer, AcademyMany lists came and went, but there were no names from Kerala any more in the Indian football team in the recent years.  This development is a much need solace for that existential agony Kerala Football was facing for some years now.

Malayalam media reports  that 6 kids from Kerala has been selected for the 2nd batch that will train in AIFF Goa Academy, the preparatory camp for the 2017 U-17 World Cup that will be hosted in India. There are already two Kerala boys training at the academy – Rishi Dutt from Thrissur and Abu Thahir from Idukki.

They are joined by Rahul (Thrissur), Inayat (Kozhikode), Favad (Malappuram) and Ajin Tom Kerala, Premier, League, KPL, Football, Soccer, AGs Office, Excise, Police, Customs, Eagles FC, india, Indianfootball,(Wayanad). These kids were selected from the sub-junior national championships that took place in May 2013. The selected bunch were screened in Goa and an 18 member squad was selected.

Four of these kids are part of SEPT training centers in the state. Rahul from Thrissur trains at the Parappur Center, Favad from the Therattammal center, Inayat from the Mavoor center in Kozhikode and Ajin Tom through the Naduval center of SEPT. This a splendid achievement for SEPT who has been involved in grassroots football development in the state.

The preparatory camp in goa will start this monday.

Sajid Dar from Jammu and Kashmir appointed Head Coach of U-17 Football Team

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Jammu and Kashmir, JKFA, AIFF, India, Football, Sajid Dar, Majid Dar, Under-17, FIFA World Cup, AFC, 2017Reports in Kashmiri media suggest that Sajid Dar has been appointed as the head coach of U-17 national team that is set to participate in the U-17 football World Cup 2017 to be held in India.

The report suggest that according to a statement issued by Jammu and Kashmir Football Association, Dar was chosen by All India Football Federation to prepare the side for the global event.

“It is a great honour for any coach to be part of the world cup team. Thanks to Almighty for getting this assignment. I am been working with national teams from last three years and I have always tried to help players and add to their knowledge. It is the biggest thing that has happened in my entire sports career,”said Sajid Dar to Kashmir reader.

Sajid who is an AFC instructor possess coaching diploma from SNIS Patiala. He also holds AFC C, B and A licenses.

I-league to start in December, Fedration Cup not axed!

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AIFF, All India Football Federation, Soccer, New Delhi

AIFF Executive Committee met at the All India Football Federation Headquarters, Football House in the Capital on May 14, 2014 (Wednesday). Here is all you need to know about the decisions that were arrived upon in the meeting!

  • Mr. Praful Patel in his visit to Zurich has expressed interest to the FIFA Boss Sep Blatter about hosting the FIFA World Club Cup in 2017 and also in 2018. The outcome of these bids will be known in December 2014.
  • Indian Super League, the new franchise league will kick off in September 2014.
  • A special committee to advice the technical structure of 2017 U-17 FIFA World cup to be constituted. Baichung Bhutia, National Captain Sunil Chhetri and the Current coach of Salogaocar club Derrick Periera to be part of the panel.
  • The  Coca-Cola Cup (National Sub-Junior Tournament) will be the main scouting platform for players for the 2017 U-17 World Cup. Boys born on or after January 1, 2000 will be eligible for the Championship.
  • An U-15 league which involves teams from clubs, AIFF regional academies and others was also proposed!
  • 3 crore budget allotted for the preparations for U-23 team for Incheon Asian Games.
  • Unlike earlier speculation in the media, Federation Cup to be hosted in Jammu and Kashmir in May 2015.
  • Appointed an integrity officer to deal with corruption and match-fixing by June 2104 as stipulated by AFC and FIFA.
  • Centralized registration of players to kick-in by July 31, 2014. Further to this, all inter-State transfers to take place through this online system.

On I-league :Airtel I-league, TenAction

  • I-league to kick off in the first week of December.
  • Coaches / Technical Director of I-league teams should be an AFC A-License holder. Even entry to the dressing rooms of a team is barred if you don’t hold AFC A-License!
  • All clubs to sign a marquee player among their foreign recruits. If failed to do so, the entire foreign contingent of players will not be allowed to play.  AIFF’s definition of marquee player to be intimated to the clubs very soon.
  • The I-league licensing committee to meet on May 21 and decide on the future of clubs on the licensing criteria front.

AIFF’s Player Registration Mechanism will Kick-in from Next Season

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500px-India_FA.svgIf reports in Malayalam media is anything to go by, AIFF’s controversial player registration scheme will kick-in from next season.

It is reported that Kerala Football Association has notified state clubs to register their players through an online system. Clubs will have shell out 100 INR for each player they are registering. The new system allows clubs to register as many players as they want. Clubs can also register Sub-Junior players as part of the new system. Currently a club can only register 30 players.

Kerala Football Association will also conduct workshops in each district to create awareness on the new system that will be kicking in from next season.  Player registration scheme from AIFF had earlier received flak from state associations and there was resistance from the associations to implement the scheme. The reduction of registration fee from what was touted earlier is to be seen as a move to placate the state associations.

Depending upon a grading system, clubs will have to shell out money to register their players. I-league clubs will have to shell out 10,000 INR for Indian players and  15,000 INR for foreign players.

While this a good initiative from AIFF as the registration system would allow them to create a database of active footballers across the nation, it should also be kept in mind that remuneration for a match in many of the district leagues would be as low as the registration fee that is being currently implemented.

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