NEW DELHI: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey said the new head coach of the national team will be picked based on the ability to bring in right results, and a high-profile candidate will not be selected blindly.
The AIFF Executive Committee is due to meet soon to decide the successor of Igor Stimac, who resigned as head coach after India lost nine matches and drew two in his last 12 games in charge.
I believe the result matters a lot. We will be looking at someone who can develop Indian football. Whoever gets appointed as chief coach, we want him to add a lot of potential to the national team's performance, Chaubey told PTI videos in an interview.
The incoming head coach will have some important assignments such as a tri-nation tournament in October that also involves hosts Vietnam and Lebanon. We are looking to utilise all the FIFA windows which we have in the month of September, October, November and March next year, he said.
Chaubey added that there was an overwhelming response to the advertised position of the head coach of the Indian men's football team.
We have received a total of 291 applications and we have shortlisted 17 names from them. There are Indian and foreign names.We will have a detailed discussion about them in the Executive Committee meeting, he noted.
Chaubey said former Indian captain IM Vijayan, who is now the head of the technical committee, will also be consulted.
Chaubey said players like Lallianzuala Chhangte have the potential to step in for former skipper Sunil Chhetri, who recently retired from international football.
Chhangte was adjudged the Best Men's Player during the AIFF awards on Friday.