The All India Football Federation has reportedly sounded out a replacement for the under-fire coach of the India Under-17 team Nicolai Adam and will be finalised within a month’s time, reported PTI on Friday.
Chaos ensued on Thursday when reports emerged that the German was sacked by the AIFF, only for the board to come out and deny it. The report added that president Praful Patel had told Adam to either quit on his own accord or risk being sacked.
India U-17’s poor performances in recent tournaments has also not done Adam any favours. The final straw, though, was when reports of “physical abuse” were alleged by some of the players.
Sports Minister Vijay Goel has also backed the AIFF and has called for detailed report for matters relating to Adam, the report added, “The AIFF will try to find a replacement as soon as possible, within a month’s time at the most, given that there is not enough time left for the mega event which is scheduled to be held from October 6 to 28. Nicolai [Adam] will have to go and the plan is to appoint a new coach as soon as possible, within a month,” a source was quoted by PTI as saying.
The India U-17 had recently participated in the Valentin Granatkin Memorial Cup, where they finished bottom out of the 16 teams that participated.