Indian football team sacked their head coach Igor Stimac after they failed to make it to the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. Stimac did not hold back after his sacking as he lashed out at Indian Football in an interview with a host of reporters.
“I came with an open heart to Indian football. But your football is imprisoned. It will take a couple of decades for things to improve which I don’t see happening,” Stimac said in his virtual press conference.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) will now look for a new beginning in Indian football as they continue to find a replacement for Igor Stimac’s role. Following are the five possible names that would take the reigns as the coach of the Indian National Football Team.
Clifford Miranda
Clifford Miranda was the attacking midfielder of the Indian National Team for nine years where he established his name among the best midfielders of his generation. He currently serves as the head coach of the Indian Men’s U23 football team. In 2023, he was named the AIFF coach of the year as he helped Odisha FC to lift the Indian Super Cup.
Miranda stands out as one of the strongest candidates to lead the Indian Football Team and take them to new heights.
Ashley Westwood
Ashley Westwood is the current head coach of the Afghanistan National Team. The Englishman has plenty of expertise in Indian Football having worked here over the past decade. He has managed ISL sides like Bengaluru FC and ATK FC along with then I-League club Punjab FC. He is one of the stronger candidates for the role given his experience in Indian football.
Gouramangi Singh
Gouramangi Singh represented India as a center back between 2006-2013. He played in tournaments such as the AFC Challenge Cup, Nehru Cup, and SAFF Cup for the Indian National Team. Currently, he is working as an assistant coach of FC Goa. He is known for developing and mentoring young players and uplifting the sport for the future generation. He is seen as one of the top contenders for the Indian football coach given his defensive expertise
Sergio Lobera
Sergio Lobera is a former FC Barcelona youth coach. He took charge of FC Goa in the 2017-18 season and helped them to reach three consecutive playoffs. In the 2020-21 season, Lobera switched to Mumbai FC and won the club their maiden Indian Super League (ISL) League Winners’ Shield and the title. With a win percentage of 54.32%, Lobera has the highest win ratio among all managers during his four years in ISL.
He is among the top contenders to replace Igor Stimac as the coach of the Indian National Football Team given his success in India.
Mahesh Gawli
Mahesh Gawli is the assistant coach of India since 2022. He has closely worked with the players for the past few years and has even stepped up as the head coach when needed. His consistency and reliability are something that stand him out from the rest of his competitors and make him one of the trusted candidates to take the job.
Indian center-back Sandesh Jhingan was full of praises for Gawli when he spoke to News 18, “Mahesh bhai has been one of the stalwarts of the game during his days as a player, and now we learn so much from his experience.”
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
