The
former
Croatian
World
Cupper
is
currently
in
Kolkata,
where
the
national
team
is
camping
for
its
Vietnam
trip
and
the
AIFF
bigwigs
are
expected
to
discuss
the
modalities
of
the
contract
with
him
once
the
trip
is
over.
However,
when
PTI
contacted
Stimac,
he
informed
that
he
had
said
“Yes”
to
contract
extension.
The
decision
was
taken
here
during
the
second
Executive
Committee
(EC)
meeting
of
the
AIFF’s
new
dispensation
headed
by
Kalyan
Chaubey
and
secretary
general
Shaji
Prabhakaran.
“The
technical
committee
headed
by
IM
Vijayan
yesterday
decided
to
renew
his
contract
till
the
Asian
Cup
and
it
was
approved
by
the
EC
today,”
Prabhakaran
told
reporters
here
on
Monday.
“The
performance
target
is
to
be
top-eight
in
the
competition.
If
that
target
is
achieved,
then
automatically
the
contract
will
be
extended
to
another
competition
whichever
is
the
priority
for
AIFF,”
he
added.
It
is
understood
that
AIFF
doesn’t
want
to
continue
with
Stimac
beyond
Asia
Cup
or
else
such
a
target
wouldn’t
have
been
given,
knowing
the
performance
graph
of
the
national
team
in
the
continental
event
over
the
years.
The
benchmark
for
the
Croatian
former
World
Cupper
may
seem
to
be
a
bit
high
but
Prabhakaran
said
it
was
“the
technical
committee’s
decision
and
is
endorsed
by
the
executive
committee.”
Sunil
Chhetri-led
India
qualified
for
the
fifth
time
overall,
by
finishing
as
group
D
winners
in
the
third
round.
This
marked
their
first
ever
successive
Asian
Cup
qualification
earlier
this
year.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
barring
1964
when
it
was
a
four-team
competition,
the
Blue
Tigers,
who
are
ranked
104th
in
the
world
and
19th
in
Asia,
never
progressed
beyond
the
group
stage
at
the
Asian
Cup.
Stimac-coached
India
will
embark
on
a
Vietnam
tour
on
Tuesday
for
two
friendly
games
against
Singapore
and
the
hosts
on
September
24
and
27
respectively.
Asked
whether
the
Davor
Suker
and
Zvonimir
Boban’s
former
teammate
would
accept
such
a
contract,
Prabhakaran
replied:
“We
don’t
want
to
disturb
him
now,
his
focus
should
be
on
the
team.
Let
him
come
back,
then
we
will
have
discussion
with
him.”
Padma
nominations
for
Shabbir
Ali,
Arun
Ghosh
and
Vijayan
The
EC
also
confirmed
that
they
will
be
nominating
former
players
Shabbir
Ali,
Vijayan
and
Arun
Ghosh
for
Padma
Shri,
while
Manoranajan
Bhattacharya,
who
is
also
a
technical
committee
member,
will
be
nominated
for
the
Dhyan
Chand.
“Jeje
Lalpekhlua
has
been
recommended
for
the
Arjuna
Award.
EC
approved
unanimously
their
nominations
for
the
National
Awards,”
he
added.
The
AIFF
executive
committee
also
accepted
the
recommendation
to
discontinue
their
development
side,
Indian
Arrows,
and
instead
create
an
elite
youth
league
using
the
fund.
“The
men’s
Indian
Arrows
team
will
be
discontinued
and
will
not
hence
be
participating
in
the
I-League.
The
investment
would
be
diverted
to
creating
a
new
elite
youth
league
which
was
again
approved
by
the
EC.
The
idea
is
to
invet
in
youth
so
as
to
have
a
better
national
team
going
forward,”
Prabhakaran
said.
No
decision
on
age-group
Youth
League
Prabhakaran
said
that
structure
of
the
Youth
League
will
be
discussed
in
due
course
of
time.
“The
structure
of
the
youth
league
will
be
discussed
and
will
be
shared
with
the
technical
committee
for
final
committees.
ISL
clubs
and
others
who
run
academies
will
also
be
engaged
in
this
discussion
to
use
the
youth
players
in
the
elite
youth
league.”
He
however
said
there
has
not
been
any
decision
yet
on
the
age
group
of
the
upcoming
Youth
League.
“We
have
not
taken
any
decision
on
the
age-group
events.
The
technical
committee
will
take
a
call
after
discussing
with
various
stakeholders.
We
need
to
have
discussion
with
technical
people
to
find
what’s
appropriate
for
Indian
system.
“It’ll
be
an
elite
league
—
the
cream
should
play.
As
of
now,
I
don’t
know
about
women’s
Indian
Arrows,
so
can’t
comment,”
he
added.
AIFF
to
reduce
tournament
hosting
fees
Among
other
decisions,
the
EC
has
decided
to
reduce
tournament
fees
for
the
national
competitions,
and
waive
off
U-12,
U-18
players’ transfer
fees.
“There
was
a
request
from
a
few
state
associations
to
reduce
the
tournament
fees
that
AIFF
charges
for
the
national
competitions.
It
now
has
been
reduced
from
Rs
25,000
to
Rs
10,000.
“EC
also
waived
off
U-12
players
from
paying
transfer
fees
and
also
U-18
boys
and
girls
teams
to
increase
participation.”
Every
state
association
will
also
have
an
ambassador
to
become
the
face
of
the
state.
“They
will
be
prominent
faces
from
the
respective
states.
Technical
committee
will
finalise
the
names.
They
will
play
an
important
role
to
elevate
the
level
of
football.”
Vijayan
wants
Office
league
On
Vijayan’s
proposal,
the
EC
will
also
study
the
feasibility
to
start
an
institutional
league
to
revive
the
institutions
that
have
long
served
the
country’s
football.
The
EC
also
decided
to
appoint
a
technical
director
to
expand
their
scouting
network.
“He
shall
be
appointed
55
years
or
below
and
an
Indian.
A
new
scouting
structure
would
be
created
to
select
the
youth
team
and
there
will
be
a
new
head
of
scout
after
the
TD’s
appointment,”
Prabhakaran
added.
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