Manolo, Vukomanovic, Westwood: Who should AIFF replace Igor Stimac with?

First Sunil Chhetri, now Igor Stimac, both have said farewell to the Indian national football team. The latter’s departure was an enforced one, but as the AIFF sacked the longest-serving coach (in one spell) of India, they’ve heralded quite the transition.

So, what now?

Well, Chhetri cannot be replaced, but Stimac can. If India are to improve their fortunes in the short-term, the AIFF (and its technical committee) cannot get the decision of who will next be in charge of the national team wrong. The federation have already had a streak of poor decisions – chief of them being handing Stimac a barely deserved extension right before the tests of the AFC Asian Cup and the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. A contract was agreed that will require a significant payout upon termination – with both the President and the technical committee passing the buck on that end.

The AIFF also fell short in how it handled Stimac – that a national team coach could dictate matters, hold unauthorized press conferences, fight with domestic league stakeholders, make unreasonable demands, throw blame everywhere but himself when results fell away isn’t a symbol of a smoothly functioning process. The next appointment has to be one where the federation and the coach are working together, not at odds.

Putting aside all the ills that plague the Indian football pyramid, India’s fortunes at the top level are have a direct impact on the popularity of the sport in the nation – and that’s why the AIFF has to get things right.

It starts with the right head coach.

The right ingredients to lead India

An ideal head coach for the Indian national football team has two immediate tasks to fulfill. On the pitch, there’s the small matter of making up for a 94-goal striker who’s just retired. Off it, there’s a need for unity in the process – the fans, the federation, the coach, the staff have to pull as one – toxicity and infighting at any level cannot be afforded.

The tangibles

The same footballers that were finishing with aplomb in the Indian Super League were fluffing their lines for India under Igor Stimac. The new coach has to figure out where India’s goals come from, and soon. In the immediate future, with India’s central striking options still limited, there will be a need to rely on the collective – and India’s new coach has to be one who can promote that style of play. A philosophy is difficult to implement in a national team setup, but it’s clear that India need an identity on the ball – especially with a talented generation coming through. The AIFF has dropped the ball by not implementing a bottom-up reboot, but a national team coach can at the very least point at a direction.

Defensively, Stimac’s India found new ways to concede when in a position of control, repeatedly. A new coach would have to instill a different mentality in the team – one that doesn’t accept the concession of a goal, no matter what the game-state is. Calmer heads are the need of the hour, and that comes from the knowledge that India’s defenders can cope with opposition threats thanks to a manager who’s done his homework.

And finally, perhaps the easiest part for a new coach to fulfill will be to attend ISL/I-League games in person. One cannot have a scenario where players breaking through are discouraged because of a national team coach playing favourites.

The intangibles

Chhetri’s departure not only left a goal-scoring void in the team, but also that of a talismanic leader. For the moment, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has the armband, but multiple coaches at club level haven’t exactly been complimentary of his leadership skills. Sandesh Jhingan, when he returns, can fill that leadership role, but whether he will return the same player after a long-term injury is questionable.

A new coach may need the force of charisma himself to deal with existing leaders and even cliques that may have developed. The slate ought to be wiped clean and players given the chance to prove that they can pull together, without a hint of infighting.

Indian football, even at the best of times, is a political minefield. There is always someone ready to stick the knife in, and this is where the new coach will have to be a character that can withstand these attacks. Ideally, the new coach ought to be someone who can get every stakeholder in Indian football to sing from the same sheet, although that is perhaps expecting a bit too much.

The candidates

Pure fantasy

Park Hang-Seo

He took Vietnam from no-hopers in 2017 to the heights of a quarter-final finish at the AFC Asian Cup, based on a brand of thrilling, counter-attacking football. The Korean coach even had his own nation clamouring for him to take over from Jurgen Klinsmann recently, but moved to an administrative role in Vietnamese football.

Pros: Can work with an imperfect footballing pyramid, pragmatic manager who can unite a nation

Cons: Unfamiliarity with Indian football

Manolo Marquez

The supplier of multiple footballers to the national team ever since he led an unfancied Hyderabad FC to the ISL title, Manolo Marquez’s exploits are already familiar to the Indian football fan. Now with FC Goa, his penchant for platforming new talent hasn’t stopped (hello Jay Gupta).

Pros: Namechecked by Stimac as his successor. Midas touch with young Indian footballers, works wonders as an underdog.

Cons: Would be hard to envision him leaving club football and the day-to-day managerial role he enjoys.

Albert Roca

One of the names being bandied about when the Indian national team job was last up for grabs, Roca comes with plenty of pedigree in Indian football, his success with Bengaluru FC may have been ages ago, but his impact is undeniable.

Pros: Familiar with Indian football on the pitch and off the pitch, nailed-on style of play built in Barcelona.

Cons: Will be very expensive, and the AIFF have some sizeable bills to pay re: Stimac. Also, hasn’t managed a team in eons.

Owen Coyle

Think Manolo Marquez, but with a Scottish list to his English, and Chennaiyin FC and Jamshedpur FC instead of Hyderabad and Goa. Coyle’s also been a regular supplier of players to the national team, and has the pedigree of winning the title in India – to say nothing of his exploits in European football.

Pros: Can make an Indian team appear greater than the sum of its parts, has pulled off miracles with very unfancied teams

Cons: Has purchased almost every underutilized young Indian talent this summer for Chennaiyin, unlikely to leave a promising project.

Somewhat realistic

Ashley Westwood

How best to replace Stimac? Hire the man who beat him – with a worse squad. Ashley Westwood is intimately aware of Indian football, and his feats with an Afghanistan national team have placed him in the spotlight once more, after his success with Bengaluru FC in their early years.

Pros: Can be wooed away with a higher salary, fosters underdog fighting spirit in every team he coaches.

Cons: Style of football might turn away a few fans.

Khalid Jamil

Khalid Jamil remains the only Indian to have been a full-fledged head coach of an ISL team. His Aizawl title-winning team was the stuff of dreams, and he’s since pulled off more underdog fairytales.

Pros: Will identify with Indian players, and can bring a much-needed solidity to the side.

Cons: May not suit an Indian team looking to build an identity beyond that of underdogs, Jamil tends to unravel when expectations are high.

Ivan Vukomanovic

Ivan Vukomanovic has won no titles in Indian football but yet remains held in very high esteem, and has demonstrated his ability to develop Indian players, like those of Kerala Blasters.

Pros: Available, and instantly earns the AIFF some goodwill in Kerala. Can unite a footballing fandom to levels unheard of. High-pressing style of football will suit India’s young generation.

Cons: AIFF and him aren’t exactly on the best of terms – also won’t be cheap.

Realistic

Mahesh Gawli

Igor Stimac’s assistant and sometimes replacement, Mahesh Gawli’s calm was in stark contrast to his high-strung boss. Players were quick to credit him after SAFF Cup wins, although there are unknowns about him performing under pressure.

Pros: Continuity, and aforementioned calm. Can unite a dressing room.

Cons: Style of play is still vague, might wilt if politicking begins.

Bibiano Fernandes

India’s youth teams have been led by Bibiano Fernandes for a while, and while the results have swung both ways, he has reportedly impressed the power-brokers within AIFF.