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Former India captain Baichung Bhutia chaired the AIFF Technical Committee meeting at the AIFF Football House in New Delhi today. Other Technical Committee Members Savio Messias, Henry Menezes, Lalnghinglova Hmar and Anil Kumar also attended the Meeting.
Further AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das, AIFF Technical Director Robert Baan, Indian Senior National Team Coach Wim Koevermans, and AIFF Technical Director Academies & Director of Coach Education Scott O’Donell also were present.
It was decided in the meeting that the India Senior National Team Coach Wim Koevermans’ contract will be extended till October 2014, that is end of the 2014 Asian Games; while AIFF Technical Director Robert Baan’s contract was also be extended by a year.
The Committee focused on planning Grassroots and Youth Development Programmes and producing more number of ‘quality’ Coaches by proper Coach Education Programmes.
The bigger role and responsibilities of State Associations were also highlighted and it was decided that the parent body will be stricter on the associations to enforce a proper scouting in place.
“There has been a lot of thinking in terms of development of Indian football. We are focusing a lot on Grassroots. We have recently tied-up with Football Federation of Australia for financial and technical assistance,” Kushal Das said in his opening address.
Baichung Bhutia suggested that I-League players be allowed to do Coaching Courses with an eye on having more number of ‘quality’ Coaches. “I-League players should be allowed to do Coaching Courses for having better Coaches.”
“It is time to put our foot down and get the state associations going in order to have the best players in our Regional Academies. Otherwise all the hard work put in by our Coaches and Rob goes down the drain,” Bhutia added.
“Clubs need to release players for National Camps for longer periods. We all need to realize that National Team’s success is the only way for football to grow in India. If today India qualify for the World Cup, you can imagine the amount of sponsorship the clubs and AIFF will get,” Bhutia maintained.
The Committee unanimously recommended the following points
- State Associations need to play a bigger role in Grassroots and Youth Development.
- Bring more number of quality Coaches on board by issuing online application forms for Coaching Courses on AIFF website thereby increasing participation and ensuring transparent selection.
- Alongwith Rob Baan and Scott O’Donell Technical Committee members Henry Menezes and Savio Messias will be looking after Coaching Programmes, Academies and the scouting system in different State Associations.
- More number of Exposure Trips for National Teams, age group and Senior Team.
- Improve the quality of foreign recruits playing in the I-League for the betterment of the National Team. It was recommended that there should be a set Criteria for a foreigner to play in the I-League.
- A review on the number of foreign players playing in the I-League will also be done.
- It was discussed that the onus should be on the clubs to have their own Academies, and not depend on the Federation alone to set up all Regional Academies.
- The State Associations should also have Proper Training Centres.
- Promote Women’s football on a larger scale.
(Report & Photo courtesy AIFF Media)
