The All India Football Federation (AIFF) wishes to have seasoned campaigners onboard, before the Indian team finally begins its preparations, for the upcoming I-Leagues and FIFA championships. It was recently, that Kushal Das, the Chief Financial Officer of the ICC and International Management Group (IMG) India, was appointed as the General Secretary of the AIFF, for the second time, in November 2013 for a span of three years. It was first in November 2010 that Das was appointed for the same post. The current AIFF President Praful Patel believes that these seasoned campaigners bring in a lot of experience with them. The experience would further help the budding talent of the Indian football, to perform to the best of their ability. Apart from Das, the two other members who got a year’s extension were Robert Baan (Technical director) and Wim Kovermans (National Team Coach). Kovermans will be serving the Indian Football team, until October 2014. He would also be an integral part of the India’s campaign 2014 Incheon Asian Games. It was in June 2012, The All India Football Federation appointed former Netherlands football player Wilhelmus Jacobus Kovermans, popularly known as Wim Kovermans, as the new head coach of the Indian national football team. Ever since, Kovermans has always been an integral part of the Indian football team, be it aboard or on home soil.
Kovermans always lived upto the expectations of the AIFF. This is another reason that the AIFF wanted to extend his contract, with the Indian football team. There has been a lot happening, ever Since Praful Patel, the AIFF President, got home the rights to host the Under 17 FIFA World Cup. He also said that he would travelling to a few countries this year, to strengthen India’s chances of winning the bid, to host the Club Championships, to be held in 2015-16. India has already placed the bid and Patel believes that the nation has a good chance, of brining a few more laurels home.
In his recent interviews, Patel said that India would live upto the FIFA standards, in terms of infrastructure. Even the India football team, will put a good fight and surely give the other teams, a run for their money. It is for this reason, that India signed an agreement with the Australian football Federation (AFF). The AFF will in turn help the AIFF, by providing assistance in various segments such as administrative, financial and technical support. The recently concluded Grassroots Program in Delhi is a shining example of the fact, that AIFF is giving it all, to steer the nation, towards the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It shall be a huge moment in the history of Indian football, if it qualifies for the tournaments. Until then, Praful Patel contributions, towards the AIFF shall be pivotal.