CHENNAI: So how physical is too physical? India’s U-17 coach Nicolai Adam will be asking that question after the All India Football Federation sent him a copy of the letter that members of the team had sent against him and asked to write in a reply by Monday.
Despite news reports claiming otherwise, Express understands that allegations of physical abuse in the letter are ‘minimal’ — most of Adam’s sins are verbal. The letter apparently says that Adam threw slippers at the boys when he wasn’t happy.
His dressing room talks had a healthy dose of the F-word, while a couple of boys, not from a well-off background, were told that they would ‘end up like their fathers’ if they didn’t train hard enough, sources in the know revealed. Hardly things that should provoke national outrage, but sensitive nonetheless, considering the boys’ age.
Regardless, so much damage has already been done that it is hard to fathom a scenario where Adam stays on. For his part, the German coach is refusing to resign. Being show-caused with a Monday deadline appears to be the All India Football Federation’s first step to getting him dismissed.
“There is a process that has been set in motion,” an AIFF official told Express. “We will wait for Adam’s answer and then see what we can do. Any step on hiring a potential coach will only be taken after the Adam affair is put to rest.”
And while the AIFF’s actions have done little to help things, others including the Sports Ministry and technical committee chairman Bhaichung Bhutia — who held meetings with Adam, the team and Sports Ministry officials — tried their best to diffuse the situation.
The sports ministry, in particular, was not in favour of sacking a coach, who they were paying around Rs 8 crore per year, this close to the tournament. Sources in the ministry felt that AIFF could have nipped the controversy in the bud and handled the situation better. It is understood, the ministry felt the AIFF could have suspended the camp and the players sent back home.
The team was, on Saturday, present on the sidelines of the inaugural Indian Women’s League encounter at the Ambedkar Stadium. Shepherding them was India’s technical director Scott O’Donell, who curiously chose the occasion to announce that he would not be taking up a potential offer from the AIFF to coach the team.
“I want to clarify that I am not in the race to take up any other job with the AIFF. I have enjoyed my stint in India and with the AIFF. I want to be with my family now and so due to personal reasons I am leaving this job of AIFF technical director,” he said.
vishnu.prasad@newindianexpress.com