Association for Indian football coaches established

Mumbai, December 27: With football growing fast in the country, the Association of Indian Football Coaches was today launched here, with the recognition of the All India Football Association, for the welfare of managers.

"We are starting this to help coaches with the support of AIFF. It's not a union and we will work with AIFF," said Dinesh Nair, one of its directors and an AFC A-license holder.

Nair is also the head of the Youth and Grassroots development wing of Indian Super League outfit Mumbai City FC. "It's important for everyone to work together as we want to develop more coaches. From 1,200 coaches in 2014, we're up to 6,500 coaches in India. In the next five years, we want to make it 65,000 coaches as football is growing rapidly in India," AlFF COO Kishor Taid said.

Apart from Nair, the board of directors of the newly-floated coaches body comprises former India captain IM Vijayan, former international player Derrick Pereira, Sanjoy Sen and Thangboi Singto. The AiFC is supported by SportingLions Foundation.

Former international and AIFF's head of coach education, Savio Medeira, described it as a "great initiative" and wished the new body success "for long and healthy association with all Indian coaches."

The aim of AiFC, it was emphasised, was also to work with the AIFF and "assist them in conducting AFC coaching license courses, refresher courses and work for coach education, which will help in players' development in various leagues and grassroots tournaments.