There is no Hidalgo in new AIFF shortlist

All India Football Federation secretary Alberto Colaco has sent a list of 11 prospective foreign coaches for the national team to the technical committee

All India Football Federation (AIFF) secretary Alberto Colaco has sent a list of 11 prospective foreign coaches for the national team to the technical committee. The strange thing about it is that former French international and European Cup winning coach Michael Hidalgo’s name is missing.

Strange, because the AIFF, in it’s initial bravado, on March 22 had chest-thumped this name, attempting to impress, maybe. There is a possibility, point out sources, that egos deflated when the reality of the salaries demanded came to the forefront.

Hidalgo, going by his CV, should have been the front-runner for the post as Syed Nyeemuddin’s successor. “Hidalgo is a big name but he has not got back to us and we cannot wait for ever,” Colaco told The Sunday Express on Saturday. That means the AIFF, too, didn’t bother to get in touch with the coach.

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Hidalgo took France to European championship glory in 1984 and the semi-final of the 1982 World Cup in Spain where they lost to West Germany on penalties.

According to sources the technical committee has been asked to come up with a further shortlist of “five or six” coaches, while the final nod will come from AIFF chief Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi and Colaco by the end of the month. The technical committee is headed by C. R. Viswanathan, other members being Mohammed Habeeb, Henry Menezes, Inder Singh, Pradeep Chowdhury and Nagendra Singh.

The source pointed out that while the “five or six” will have to be chosen on merit (in order), the cheapest, probably, will get the nod.

However, Colaco believes in keeping his options open.

” If Hidalgo or any other top-notch coach contacts us before the scheduled date we will consider that.”

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The AIFF is keen to make the appointment before India’s next international assignment (“exposure” trip) in Canada in June.

The top picks

Brian Kerr (Ireland): Former Ireland manager. Been involved with some of the top names like Robbie Keane, Damien Duff and Gary Doherty

Jorge Mario Olguin (Argentina): Former Argentine World Cup winning player with more than 60 national caps – recommended by a Fifa vice-president

Clemence Westerhof (Holland): Ex-coach of Nigeria, known to be the man behind the heroics of the Super Eagles at the 1994 World Cup

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Ian Porterfield (England): Former Chelsea manager. Has coached national sides of Saudi Arabia, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Amir Alagic (Bosnia): Coach of Brunei national team, former coach of Bosnia U-19 team

Milton Quieroz da Paixao (Brazil): Former Brazilian international won the Copa America with the Latin giants in 1989.

aditya.kumar@expressindia.com

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