A-Licence degree must for technical directors: AIFF

The AIFF today approved the appointment of an integrity officer to deal with corruption and match-fixing besides making it mandatory for coaches and technical directors to have the AFC A-License degree, which effectively shuts the door on the likes of Subhash Bhowmick.
"Any coach/technical director without a valid AFC A-Licence degree, if appointed by any club, would not be allowed to sit on the reserve bench and coach the team both during the match and even in practice sessions. They won't be allowed to enter the dressing rooms," the AIFF said in a statement after a meeting of its executive committee here.

Former India star Bhowmick began his coaching career with Mohun Bagan in 1990-91, and has won three league titles including two with East Bengal, but does not have a A-Licence degree.
"The committee approved the appointment of an integrity officer to deal with corruption and match-fixing by June 2104 as stipulated by AFC and FIFA," the statement said.
The committee made it mandatory for all I-League clubs to sign a marquee player among the foreign recruits. Unless any club signs a marquee player, it won't be allowed to field any other foreign recruits in the I-League. The definition for the marquee player will be intimated to the clubs by the I-League.

"There is a meeting on club licensing on May 21. It's entirely up to the First Instance Body to decide on which clubs get the licence to play the 2014-15 edition of the I-League," Patel stated.

It was also directed that the Centralised Registration System for players and inter-State transfers be implemented by the respective state associations by July 31, 2014.
Patel informed the committee about his recent meeting with FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Secretary General Jerome Valcke in Zurich where he discussed to put in a bid for India to host the World Club Cup in 2017 and in 2018.

"We have to put in a bid to host it for two consecutive editions of the championship. If we are successful, we would have FIFA tournaments in India in 2017, 2018 and 2019."
"We will come to know the outcome in December 2014 and if it happens, it will be a big achievement for Indian football.
"I also hope the Indian Super League (ISL) scheduled to kick off in September 2014 will provide the much-needed boost for the game in our country. I'm confident it will be a positive development for the promotion of football in India.