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India Today
a day ago
- Sport
- India Today
Who can rescue Indian football? Top contenders to take over as head coach
In 2025, following Indian football sometimes feels like watching a glitchy game-one moment of promise, three of confusion, and an eternal wait for a patch update that never comes. The men's national team has slipped to 132 in the FIFA rankings, the head coach has walked out mid-cycle, and the Indian Super League has been abruptly put on hold. It's a storyline straight out of a sports drama-but with none of the triumphant Marquez was supposed to be "the guy." He was brought in with the idea of leading the next big rebuild, with AIFF's "Vision 2047" as the backdrop. Instead, six games and one win later, he departed without a word to his players, leaving behind more questions than was supposed to be a structured long-term plan has once again been left scrambling in the short term. But hey, if the plan is to become a top Asian football nation in 22 years, maybe we should start with getting through 22 months without chaos. Meanwhile, there's a growing vibe shift. Fans are no longer just frustrated-they're checked out. The system's confusing, club football is in a limbo, and the national team's only headlines lately are about losses and coaching exits. With the ISL currently on pause and the roadmap uncertain, there's a growing feeling that Indian football is stuck in a holding pattern, waiting for clarity that never quite even in this beautiful mess, one big decision looms: Who's next in charge?Whether it's a seasoned name from Indian football or an outside tactician with fresh ideas, this call could well define Vision 2047. That's why this next head coach appointment matters. Whether it's a seasoned ISL tactician or a complete curveball from overseas, this decision isn't just about the survival of Indian football, and here are some of our picks for the role:Khalid Jamil: The people's choice?There's something poetic about Khalid Jamil being back in the reckoning. The first Indian head coach to take an ISL team (NorthEast United, no less) to the semis, Jamil knows how to work with bare-bones budgets and high-pressure situations. He's got the no-nonsense personality, the tactical grit, and a proven track record in Indian football. More importantly, he's one of the few who hasn't lost touch with the I-League and the grassroots ecosystem-which, let's face it, is where the real talent pool still would the AIFF hand over the reins to an Indian coach at this crossroads moment? Historically, they haven't. But if they're serious about structure and sustainability, Jamil isn't the worst place to Lopez Habas: The redemption arcadvertisementHabas reportedly applied for the India head coach job before Manolo got the nod. He didn't make the cut, so what did he do? Instead, he joined a newly formed club-Inter Kashi-won the I-League, and walked them straight into ISL. That says a lot about his hunger. He's already got two ISL titles, understands the madness that is Indian football, and commands instant two ISL titles already under his belt and a deep understanding of Indian football's chaos-friendly ecosystem, Habas brings old-school discipline and tournament nous. He might not be the most exciting option, but he's a man who gets things done-and right now, that's a rare Coyle: Mr. Motivation, again?Owen Coyle was recently let go by Chennaiyin FC, but his record in Indian football remains hard to ignore. From turning a struggling Jamshedpur FC side into League Shield winners in 2022 to guiding Chennaiyin to two playoff appearances, Coyle has shown he can build competitive teams from got charisma, man-management skills, and a pretty solid rapport with Indian players. But the question remains: is he tactically dynamic enough to lead a national project? Or is he better suited for club football, where week-to-week motivation works better than four-year roadmaps?advertisementA new face: Because why not?Let's be honest-when Igor Stimac was appointed in 2019, not many Indian fans could place him beyond a Google search. Sure, it didn't exactly go according to plan. But that doesn't mean the idea of a relatively unknown but experienced international coach should be thrown out the the right scouting, planning, and long-term backing (we know, that's asking for a lot), a left-field pick could shake things up in a good way. Someone with exposure to Asian or African national team ecosystems, who knows how to work with limited resources and build structured systems from scratch. It's a risk-but at this point, what isn't?The manager alone won't fix everything, but if chosen right, he might just become the stabilising force Indian football desperately at the very least, someone who sticks around for more than six games.- Ends
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
This is not the end, fight for justice continues: Churchill
Churchill Brothers were declared champions in April and handed the I-League trophy, but after the CAS order on Friday, finish second behind Inter Kashi Panaji: Churchill Brothers FC have admitted that Friday's verdict of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has stung them, but maintained that the resolve remains unshaken. Having finished at the top of the I-League table with 40 points, the two-time former champions were made to wait till the All India Football Federation's appeals committee decided on a case involving Namdhari FC and Inter Kashi. That verdict went against second-placed Inter Kashi, and Churchill were officially crowned champions in April, with the trophy presentation ceremony in Goa. Three months later, the Switzerland-based CAS panel, an independent international body that settles disputes related to sport through arbitration, set aside the appeals committee decision – second such decision which was overturned -- and ordered AIFF to 'adjust the points table of the I-League and declare Inter Kashi as champions.' 'We have received the CAS decision in the Mario Barco ineligibility case today. To every fan who stood by us, who bled red and believed in what was right, we feel your pain. We know what this club means to Goa. This verdict may sting, but it will not shake our resolve. The truth has not been silenced; it's only waiting for its moment,' Churchill said in a social media post on Saturday. The club said they will continue to fight. 'This is not the end. Our fight for justice continues. And we promise you, Churchill Brothers will not stop until Goa gets the honour it truly deserves,' said Churchill. CAS ruled in favour of Inter Kashi in a dispute over Spanish striker Mario Barco's registration after the Varanasi-based side registered the player twice—a move that was challenged and deemed invalid by the AIFF appeals committee. Barco was part of Kashi's initial squad – which included six foreigners -- for the I-League but was later replaced by Matija Babovic due to what was seen as a season-ending injury. The Spanish striker later made a return to the team in February since Julen Perez's contract termination during the January transfer window left a vacant foreign spot. Kashi challenged the appeals committee order, arguing that the green signal to register the player came from the League Committee. Arguing before CAS, the AIFF said its League Committee lacked the authority to render any final and binding clarification or opinion on the interpretation of Article 6.5.7 in response to the AIFF competitions department's query CAS, however, set aside the appeals committee decision and ordered AIFF to 'adjust the points table of the I-League and declare Inter Kashi as champions.' The final points table leaves Kashi at the top with 42 points, two more than second-placed Churchill.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Churchill Brothers on CAS I-League verdict: ‘Our fight for justice continues'
Churchill Brothers on Saturday said its 'fight for justice continues' after the Court of Arbitration for Sport's (CAS) ruling announced Inter Kashi as the 2024-25 I-League winner. CAS ruled in favour of Kashi in a dispute over Mario Barco's registration after the side registered the Spanish player twice—a move that was challenged and deemed invalid by the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) Competitions Committee. AIFF had previously announced Churchill Brothers as the winner of India's second-tier, after which Kashi challenged the decision in CAS. ALSO READ | Inter Kashi becomes I-League champion — CAS rejects AIFF Appeals Committee ruling 'To every fan who stood by us — who bled red and believed in what was right — we feel your pain. We know what this club means to Goa,' Churchill Brothers' statement began. 'This verdict may sting, but it will not shake our resolve. The truth has not been silenced — it's only waiting for its moment. This is not the end. Our fight for justice continues. And we promise you — Churchill Brothers will not stop until Goa gets the honour it truly deserves,' it concluded. With CAS's decision on Friday, Kashi gained an additional three points, taking its total to 42—enough to clinch the title ahead of provisional leader Churchill Brothers, which dropped to second with 40 points.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Indian sports wrap, July 18: India beats Sri Lanka in campaign opener at Badminton Asia Junior Mixed Team C'ships
BADMINTON Badminton Asia Junior Mixed Team championships: India beats Sri Lanka in opening match India kicked off its Badminton Asia Junior Mixed Team championships campaign in style as it thrashed Sri Lanka 110-69 in its Group D clash in Indonesia on Friday. The mixed doubles combination of Vishnu Kode and Reshika U began India's march with a 11-5 win over Keneth Aruggoda and Isuri Attanayake in the relay point system where a team had to bag 110 points to win the match. Sisters Gayatri and Mansa Rawat then extended India's lead to 22-14 against Attanayake and Sithumi De Silva before junior world no. 1 Tanvi Sharma stamped her class against Sithuli Ranasinghe to make it 33-21 for India. Not one India singles player or pair lost any 11-point relay and by the time the match reached the half way mark the winners had taken a 55-31 lead. India will now face United Arab Emirates in its second group game on Saturday before taking on Hong Kong China on Sunday which could decide who tops the group standings. -Team Sportstar BASKETBALL FIBA Women's Asia Cup, Division B: India out of semifinals race India women's basketball team lost 76-93 to Thailand, ending its hopes of reaching the semifinals of the FIBA Women's Asia Cup (Division B) in Shenzhen, China, on Friday. India will take on Kazakhstan in a classification match for 5th-6th place on Saturday. -Team Sportstar FOOTBALL Punjab FC extend Leon Augustine's contract until 2027 Punjab FC has announced the extension of the contract of Leon Augustine ahead of the upcoming season on Friday. The versatile player will remain in the club until 2027. The 26-year-old initially signed for The Shers in the 2023-24 season and will continue his journey with the club after some impressive performances last season, where he played in multiple positions across the field for the club. After making only four total appearances in his first season at the club, Leon made 20 appearances in the ISL last season playing 1020 minutes and scored once against Odisha FC. - Team Sportstar Shillong Lajong names Birendra Thapa as new head coach Meghalaya's Shillong Lajong FC on Friday has appointed former player and long-time club associate Birendra Thapa as the club's new head coach ahead of the upcoming I-League season. Popularly known as Coach Biru, Thapa brings with him nearly two decades of experience, having been associated with the club since 2001 in multiple roles, including player, team manager, and assistant coach. Thapa played for the club from 2001 to 2009 and was part of the historic squad that qualified for the 2009-10 I-League season. - PTI TENNIS Maaya strengthens Indian team for Rod Laver Junior Challenge The Indian team has been strengthened with the inclusion of Maaya Rajeshwaran for the IC Rod Laver Junior Challenge tennis tournament to be played in Barcelona, Spain, from July 26 to 30. India had won the Asia-Oceania regional competition in December last year, beating host Singapore and Japan. Sohini Mohanty was part of that team and gets replaced by the 16-year-old Maaya, ranked No.55 among the juniors in the world. Sohini had played her part well in the world wide competition in 2023, helping India win the title in USA, and receiving the trophy from Rod Laver himself, along with Manas Dhamne, Rushil Khosla and Asmi Adkar. Vikram Anand has been the captain of the team and exuded confidence about India's chances of defending the title in Spain. The tournament will be on clay in two venues, clubs which have a combined strength of 56 clay courts. 'Maaya, Samarth Sahita and Aradhya Kshitij are already in Europe. I will be going along with Rishitha Basireddy,' said Vikram. The captain also recalled that Rushil attends Cornell University on a full scholarship and would be soon joined by National men's champion Rethin Pranav who was also part of the IC team in the past. He was pleased with the professional development of Manas in the men's circuit. The world wide challenge in Barcelona will feature Argentina, Italy, Mexico, South Africa and Spain apart from India. The six teams will play a round robin league. Each tie will have two boys singles, two girls singles apart from boys and girls doubles. In case of a 3-3 tie, there will be a mixed doubles match. Team with the maximum number of wins will emerge the champion at the end of the league. - Kamesh Srinivasan Neeraj Yashpaul wins AITA men's tennis tournament title Eighth seed Neeraj Yashpaul won the title in the Rs. 100,000 AITA men's tennis tournament at the Harvest Academy, Jassowal. Neeraj led 6-3, 3-0 when qualifier Caheer Warik retired in the final. The results: Singles (final): Neeraj Yashpaul bt Caheer Warik 6-3, 3-0 (retired); Semifinals: Neeraj bt Aarjun Pandit 7-6(5), 6-2; Caheer bt Yash Yadav 6-3, 6-2. Doubles (final): Paramveer Singh & Omkar Shinde bt Mayank Sharma & Jatin Nain 5-7, 7-5, [10-6]. - Kamesh Srinivasan Mahika Khanna beats Tejasvi Dabas to secure HPCL Mittal AITA tournament Mahika Khanna outplayed top seed Tejasvi Dabas 6-2, 6-2 in the final of the HPCL Mittal Rs. 100,000 AITA women's tennis tournament at the CLTA Complex on Friday. It was a double crown for Mahika as she had earlier won the doubles title in partnership with Riya Sachdeva. The results (final): Mahika Khanna bt Tejasvi Dabas 6-2, 6-2. - Kamesh Srinivasan Anirudh Chandrasekar in ATP doubles semifinals Anirudh Chandrasekar in partnership with Reese Stalder of USA beat Manuel Sanchez and Bernard Tomic 7-5, 6-1 in the doubles quarterfinals of the $920,480 ATP tennis tournament in Los Cabos, Mexico. The Indo-American pair was scheduled to play Blake Bayldon and Tristan Schoolkate of Australia in the semifinals. RESULTS $920,480 ATP, Los Cabos, Mexico Doubles (quarterfinals): Anirudh Chandrasekar & Reese Stalder (USA) bt Manuel Sanchez (Mex) & Bernard Tomic (Aus) 7-5, 6-1. €100,000 WTA, Porto, Portugal Doubles (quarterfinals): Estelle Cascino & Carole Monnet (Fra) bt Riya Bhatia & Mariana Drazic (Cro) 6-2, 6-1. €181,250 Challenger, San Marino Doubles (quarterfinals): Siddhant Banthia & Alexander Donski (Bul) bt Inigo Cervantes & Daniel Rincon (Esp) 3-6, 6-3, [10-4]. €91,250 Challenger, Pozoblanco, Spain Singles (pre-quarterfinals): Aryan Shah bt Ryan Peniston (GBR) 6-3, 6-2. Doubles (quarterfinals): Inaki Torre (Esp) & Sun Fajing (Chn) bt Robin Bertrand (Fra) & Adil Kalyanpur 6-2, 6-4. $30,000 ITF men, Louisville, USA Singles (pre-quarterfinals): Vignesh Gogineni (USA) bt Dhakshineswar Suresh 7-6(2), 6-0. $15,000 ITF men, Hillcrest, South Africa Doubles (quarterfinals): Gerard Henning & Philip Henning (RSA) bt Ishaque Eqbal & Thando Longwe-Smit (RSA) 6-4, 7-5. $15,000 ITF men, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Singles (quarterfinals): Thantub Suksumrarn (Tha) bt Sidharth Rawat 6-4, 7-5. Doubles (semifinals): Jake Delaney (Aus) & Ryotaro Taguchi (Jpn) bt Sai Karteek Reddy & Tomohiro Masabayashi (Jpn) 3-6, 7-6(4), [10-5]. $60,000 ITF women, Olomouc, Czechia Doubles (semifinals): Rutuja Bhosale & Wushuang Zheng (Chn) bt Magdalena Smekalova (Cze) & Laura Svatikova (Svk) 2-6, 6-2, [10-8]. $15,000 ITF women, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Singles (quarterfinals): Zeel Desai bt Qiu Yu Ye (Chn) 6-3, 6-0. $15,000 ITF women, Huamantla, Mexico Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Dalayna Hewitt & Dasha Ivanova (USA) bt Gala Arangio (Arg) & Diva Bhatia 6-2, 6-2. $15,000 ITF women, Hillcrest, South Africa Doubles (quarterfinals): Akanksha Nitture & Soha Sadiq bt Polina Leykina & Paola Lopez (USA) 3-6, 6-3, [10-8]. -Kamesh Srinivasan CUE SPORTS Advani to lead India's charge in World 6-Red Snooker Championship Three-time champion Pankaj Advani will lead a strong Indian contingent at the World 6-Red Snooker Championship that begins here on Saturday. Advani, who got a wildcard – along with Brijesh Damani and Aditya Mehta -- into the event after leading India to the Asian Team Snooker triumph last month in Colombo, will look to carry that form into the World bash. India squad: Men: Kamal Chawla, Paras Gupta, Pushpender Singh, Malkeet Singh, Pankaj Advani, Brijesh Damani, Aditya Mehta. Masters: Manan Chandra, Vijay Nichani and Rushabh Jain. Under-21: Shahyan Razmi, Mayur Garg, Gadda Srikanth, Mayank Karthik, Aarav Sancheti, Bhavya Pipaliya, Jayad Aarav, Rahul Williams and Vaibhav Chadha. - PTI GOLF Jasmine wins ninth leg of Hero WPGT Jasmine Shekar carded a sublime final-round 4-under 68, marked by a flawless back nine, to clinch the ninth leg of the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour in Hosur on Friday. Jasmine became the fifth different winner this season as she totalled 9-under with two superb rounds of 67-68 on the last two days. Neha Tripathi, who led by three shots going into the final round, seemed on course to win her first title in two years till she ran into a troubled stretch between the 12th and the 16th as she dropped four shots in five holes and lost by three to Jasmine, who played in the same final group. Neha was 6-under 210. As Jasmine and Neha took the first two places, Ridhima Dilawari shot the day's best card of 5-under 67 and jumped to third place at 4-under 212. Seher Atwal (69) was fourth at 3-under 213 and there were three players including Vani Kapoor, who won four of the first eight events, in tied fifth place. Vani carded 70 and was tied fifth alongside Amandeep Drall (69) and Kriti Chowhan (72) at 2-under 214. Sneha Singh produced a third straight round of even par 72 and was eighth, while Lavanya Jadon (70) was ninth. Jahaanvie Walia (70), who had one of the two eagles on the final day, was Tied-10th with the top amateur Saanvi Somu (76). Vani continues to lead the Hero Order of Merit, while Amandeep is second and Sneha is third. Jasmine moved to the fourth place, Neha was fifth and Ridhima Dilawari was sixth. - PTI
Time of India
4 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Inter Kashi pip Churchill Brothers in topsy-turvy I-League title race after second CAS victory
The final points table leaves Inter Kashi at the top with 42 points, two more than second-placed Churchill Brothers PANAJI: Three months after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) declared Churchill Brothers FC as the I-League winners and hastily handed over the trophy during a ceremony in Goa, the federation announced Inter Kashi FC as the new champions on Friday. The announcement follows orders from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), after the Switzerland-based tribunal set aside the AIFF appeals committee decision, which had adjudged that the re-registration of Mario Barco by the Varanasi-based club made him an ineligible player. Points were forfeited following a protest by three clubs – Churchill Brothers, Namdhari and Real Kashmir -- leaving them lower in the table. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The CAS panel, an independent international body that settles disputes related to sport through arbitration, however set aside the appeals committee decision issued on May 31 and ordered AIFF to 'adjust the points table of the I-League and declare Inter Kashi as champions.' The final points table leaves Kashi at the top with 42 points, two more than second-placed Churchill. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Secure Your Child's Future with Strong English Fluency Planet Spark Learn More Undo Real Kashmir finished third with 37 points. 'We won on the pitch, fair and square, but many could not accept that,' said club president Prithijit Das. 'Our club is barely two years old, which played the I-League with heart and grit. Maybe because we weren't part of the old order, false cases were filed, our integrity questioned, our name dragged. We didn't give up. We went all the way to CAS, fought steadily, and won.' Significantly, this was the second win for Kashi at CAS in as many months after the Swiss body had previously overturned the appeals committee decision of taking away three points that were awarded by the disciplinary committee as Namdhari fielded an ineligible player (Cledson da Silva) 'This win is not just ours. It's a reminder of what sport should stand for; passion, fairness, and honesty, not politics,' said Das. AIFF was quick to readjust the league points table and officially declare Kashi as the new champions. 'CAS has ruled that the AIFF shall declare Inter Kashi as winners of the I-League 2024-25. The AIFF congratulates Inter Kashi on being adjudged champions,' AIFF said in a statement. With the CAS order and AIFF's statement, the I-League title race has now finally concluded, more than three months after the teams had played the last round of matches. On the final day, Churchill had their chances to settle the race on the ground itself but only ended up drawing 1-1 against Real Kashmir in Srinagar. Kashi, who were almost out of the race, turned the standings on its head after scoring twice in four stoppage-time minutes for a 3-1 win against Rajasthan United. The players celebrated at their home ground, believing they had come from behind not just for a win but also a memorable triumph. 'It was a very difficult time for everyone at the club but in the end, victory is ours. We have won not just the I-League title, but our name and respect as well,' said Das. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
