New Delhi: To ease its considerable financial burden, the All India Football Federation wants the Sports ministry to fund a large chunk of the salary of its national team coaches.
With no source of additional revenue incoming and its reserves going down by Rs Rs 14.81 crore in FY 2022-23, the AIFF had earlier reduced budget for conducting its competitions by nearly Rs 20 crore and slashed individual prize money for I-League.
Adding to the economic load is a potential hefty severance package for Igor Stimac, the sacked men’s head coach, who has threatened to lodge a complaint against the AIFF to world body FIFA for “unilateral” termination without “just cause”.
The Croat had a contract till June 2026 with a salary of $30,000 per month that would have shot up to $40,000 from February 2025 and was offered only a three-month severance package when he was shown the door last month after failing to drive the team to the third round of FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Should Stimac knock on the doors of FIFA for suitable compensation, the AIFF would have to fight a multi crore bill, which would include taxes in addition to possible compensation for harassment.
It could leave the federation hamstrung in its aim to hire someone with substantial pedigree to be Stimac’s successor. Hence an attempt has been made to seek financial assistance from the ministry even as the AIFF is busy shortlisting candidates from the 291 that have applied for the top post.
The AIFF has also plans to hire an overseas head coach for the women’s team after Thomas Dennerby after Langam Chaoba Devi took charge of it for the recent Uzbekistan friendlies.
Request for support
“Even 3-4 years earlier the government used to fund a good part of the coaches salary. So we have requested to begin that process again. It is a common practice of the ministry to pay a part of the salary of the national coaches for other sports too,” an AIFF official who preferred not to be identified confirmed to News9 Sports.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the AIFF said its president Kalyan Chaubey, acting general secretary M Satyanarayan and treasurer Ajay Kipa met new Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday and requested assistance from the ministry in four areas.
“Firstly, the AIFF wishes to utilise all FIFA International Match Windows throughout the year for both men and women. Secondly, support for the head coach of both the senior men’s and women’s teams,” the statement said.
“Thirdly, the preparation camp and support for the 2026 Asian Games for men’s and women’s football teams. Lastly, support for a specialised goalkeeper academy.”
Asked what was the ministry’s response, the AIFF official said: “A new sports minister has come in. So it will take time for them to decide”, adding that a budget is yet to be fixed for the new coach’s salary.
AIFF seeks support for National Teams from the Ministry!
Hon’ble Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya assured that the government will try to provide all the necessary support within their policy.
Read full details here 👉🏻 https://t.co/QQO5F9I4mG… pic.twitter.com/mOQifhx7rw
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) July 16, 2024
As of March 31, 2023, the AIFF spent Rs 8,10,78,552 in coaches salaries and remuneration, up from Rs 6,75,17,697 for year ending March 31, 2002.
The AIFF had approved a budget of Rs 134 crore for the 2023-24 season, expecting Rs 50 crore from its commercial partner that organises the top-flight ISL, Rs 25 crore from the sports ministry (out of which Rs 10.06 crore was handed over till September 2023) and the rest from FIFA’s fund allocated for its member associations.
Earlier the allocation for head coaches was discretionary and depended on how much each national sports federation (NSF) could manage to convince the ministry. In 2019 when Stimac joined on a $24,000/month contract, the AIFF used to get 60% of it from the ministry.
But as per a ministry circular issued on Feb 28,2022, the budget of foreign coaches and high performance specialist coaches and experts is now capped at 30% of the overall approved budget of the NSF while remuneration for chief national coach/national high specialist coach would be Rs 3 lakh.
The AIFF wants the Sports ministry to pay a substantial amount of the salary of Igor Stimac’s successor. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
