AIFF Denies False Requests from Guardiola and Xavi to Manage the National Team
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has revealed that the applications for the vacant position of national team coach, allegedly from Pep Guardiola and Xavi, were “fake”. The director of the AIFF national team selection reported that the name of Xavi, former Barcelona coach, was on the list of applicants. A member of the AIFF technical committee mentioned that his candidacy was considered too expensive to be considered. In a statement issued on Saturday, the AIFF stated that it had evaluated 170 applications for the head coach position, ultimately selecting three candidates and dismissing the applications of Guardiola and Xavi as false. It had not previously been reported that the AIFF had also received a request allegedly from Guardiola, coach of Manchester City.
The AIFF sacked former India coach Igor Stimac in June last year, before appointing Spaniard Manolo Márquez, who left the position this month and returned to his role as coach of the Indian Super League team, FC Goa.“The AIFF received an email with requests from Spanish coaches Pep Guardiola and Xavi Hernández. The authenticity of their requests could not be confirmed, and it has since emerged that the email requests were not genuine,” the AIFF stated.
AIFF
