In another significant move, the IM Vijayan-led committee also suggested that Indian Arrows\u2019 participation in the I-League should be discontinued because of the difficulty in fulfilling the AFC Licensing criteria.
The AIFF executive committee, which will sit here on Monday, is expected to put its formal approval on these recommendations. This will be Stimac\u2019s third contract extension since he took charge of the national team in May 2019. The coach is currently in the city, guiding the side in its preparations for India\u2019s upcoming friendlies against Vietnam and Singapore.
The move to keep him in charge of the team came close on the heels of his meeting with AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey. Soon after Stimac guided India to the main round of Asian Cup in June here, he set conditions for continuing as coach, stressing that the national team players must spend more time together and calling for changes in domestic football.
It now seems that the new AIFF dispensation is in favour of overhauling the domestic structure. As part of this exercise, the federation has decided to withdraw Indian Arrows\u2019 participation from the I-League. <\/p>\n
![\"Stimac-gfx\"](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/imgsize-23456,msid-94292048,width-600,resizemode-4\/94292048.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nMoney, used for nurturing and promoting what has been known as the AIFF\u2019s development side will now be invested in creating a new Elite Youth League in the country.
While Stimac will remain the head coach, Indian football is set to go ‘desi’ under the presidentship of Chaubey.
It has been decided that domestic coaches will now be employed in every age group, so that they can play \u201ca vital role\u201d in taking Indian football forward.
\u201cThe AIFF\u2019s new regime is in favour of bringing more Indians into the game\u2019s domestic pyramid. There are a number of licensed coaches in India and they will be employed,\u201d said a source.
It has also been learnt that more women coaches will be involved in the new administration\u2019s push for developing women\u2019s football. However, following India women team\u2019s recent exit from the SAFF championship after losing to Nepal in the semifinal, its coaching management team could be overhauled.
\u201cWe had an extremely fruitful meeting,\u201d Vijayan later said. Former India defender and captain Manoranjan Bhattacharya, who was initially reluctant to join the technical committee, has been made its deputy chairman.
Former players Climax Lawrence, Harjinder Singh, Arun Malhotra and Eugeneson Lyngdoh were present in Sunday\u2019s meeting at a city hotel. <\/div>\n