Kolkata: Despite leading India to it’s best ever rankings in the last 21 years and also qualifying for the 2019 AFC ASIAN Championships, speculations of Stephen Constantine’s fall-out with some of the senior players in the Indian national team were doing the rounds also raising rumours that the British coach might be sacked. AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das, on Monday however cleared all such rumors, while also assuring that Constantine will continue to remain the coach.
Top Indian players such as captain Sunil Chhetri and Sandesh Jhingan had lavished praise on the coach for the team’s recent run, but reports of few of the senior players’ perception that Constantine is not technically proficient enough to coach the team and should be replaced, had emerged out, but Das pointed out that there was no reason of removing a coach under whose guidance the team has tasted success in recent times and has also has gone unbeaten 12 games.
“He is very much there as the coach, he has been doing a great job and delivered very impressive results. So, no question,” said Das in an interaction with the Press Trust of India.
It comes as a huge relief for the Indian football fans as Constantine albeit in his second sting with the Indian national team has guided the team to some breath-taking victories and at present the national team is unbeaten for the last 12 matches, with 11 wins and just one draw.
Praful Patel remains President
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Saturday stayed the order of the Delhi High Court allowing Praful Patel to continue as the President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and all the elected committees to function normally.
Questioned on the matter Das was to quick to reply that they were always confident of getting the verdict on their favour.
Dr. SY Qureshi who was appointed as the interim administrator of the AIFF after Patel’s suspension by the Delhi HC has now been appointed along with former Indian captain Bhaskar Ganguly as the Ombudsman to formulate the AIFF constitution within eight weeks.
“Making the necessary changes in AIFF constitution to make it compliant with the sports code is not a difficult task as the changes are minor. As per the AIFF constitution, five proposers are required whereas only two are required as per the sports code,” said Kushal.
The secretary also hoped that the sports body’s battle with the Court is not taken into consideration by the FIFA to deprive them of the chance to host the U-20 World Cup after a hugely successful U-17 World Cup.