India s challenges ahead of World Cup qualifiers
The Croatian coach s biggest headache is to select and assemble a fully fit squad for the qualifiers. Except for FC Goa and Bengaluru FC players, who took part in the AFC Champions League and AFC Cup qualifiers respectively in April, most of the Indian players last played in February or March
As a result, instead of choosing the squad solely on merit, Stimac now has to make do with the fittest possible players available.
The Indian squad that will be selected will get limited practice sessions before taking the field against giants Qatar. As lockdown has been imposed in several parts of India, it is not possible for the AIFF to arrange for training sessions of the team in India before they travel.
Savio Medeira joins hands to serve community during Covid
ANI
11 May 2021, 22:19 GMT+10
New Delhi [India], May 11 (ANI): Savio Medeira believes in giving. He has put in 17 years of uninterrupted trophy-laden service in the heart of the midfield for Goan giants Salgaocar FC; has coached the India men s senior national team to a major trophy triumph the 2011 SAFF Cup; and now, he is the Head of Coach Education at the All-India Football Federation (AIFF). Not to forget that he also represented the Blue Tigers at the international level in the late 90s.
The master educator, who has been busy lifting the standards of coach education in the country has now risen to the occasion to do his bit even as (in his own words), the situation is scary in Goa.
AFC President condoles the death of Fortunato Franco
ANI
11 May 2021, 13:37 GMT+10
New Delhi [India], May 11 (ANI): AFC President Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa extended his condolences for the demise of former India International Fortunato Franco on Monday.
In a letter addressed to AIFF President Praful Patel, the AFC President said, I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the former Asiad gold medallist Fortunato Franco. Franco was a part of the Indian team that won the Asiad gold in 1962 after defeating the Republic of Korea 2-1 in the final. Apart from that, he was also a part of the Indian team that took part in the 1960 Rome Olympics, and the 1964 Asian Cup, where the Blue Tigers finished second.
What is Stimac s conundrum?
The uncertainty has most affected India head coach Igor Stimac who has been dealt a bad hand by fate with absolutely no time to help prepare the team for the important games coming up.
In fact, sources close to
Goal have confirmed that the Croatian has asked those who are fit and ready to play to volunteer from the India probables group. Stimac has also excused those players who are not completely fit or have been affected by Covid-19 themselves or in their family.
It must be noted that several players including Prabir Das are currently down with Covid-19 while ATK Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya recently lost his mother to the pandemic.
Indian Super League bio blueprint was given to BCCI but board rejected it outright
MUMBAI/PANAJI: The breach of the bio-bubbles in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has led to a debate within the cricket board whether the cricket league could have been held inside a much more secure central bubble.
Some board members feel that IPL should have taken a leaf out of the way the Indian Super League (ISL) was conducted. The Football Sports Development Limited, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries that operates ISL with the All India Football Federation (AIFF), had offered to the Indian cricket board (BCCI) for the construction of a safe central bio-secure bubble for the 2021 edition of IPL.