AIFF ignores players’ request, names Anthony Andrews as new women’s team coach

By recommending Anthony Andrews as head coach of the senior women’s team, the IM Vijayan-led technical committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) ignored the players’ written request to retain Thomas Dennerby.

Andrews is 27 and has never coached a senior national side. Dennerby is 63 and came to India in 2019 after guiding Nigeria in the 2019 World Cup. He was in charge of the Sweden women’s team, which finished third in the 2011 World Cup, from 2005 to 2012.

“On behalf of the entire senior Indian Women’s National Team (sic) we humbly request you to kindly continue this year with the immensely experienced Head Coach (sic), Thomas Dennerby for the important tournaments this year like the 2nd round of the Olympic Qualifiers (sic) and Asian Games in 2023, so there is continuity and steady progress of the team,” said the players’ e-mail to AIFF top brass. HT has a copy.

That India were without a head coach since the first round of the Olympic qualifiers in April, Dennerby’s last assignment, was reported by HT on Thursday.

The e-mail referred to the “heartbreak” of the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup where India had to withdraw due to an outbreak of Covid-19 and said that “these tournaments are a chance for us to prove… capabilities and potential.” Since Dennerby “knows each player and our capabilities,” the players requested AIFF to let him continue.

“A new coach coming in at this stage will take time to settle in, to understand the team, players and the competition level at these big tournaments which can hamper our chances of success.”

The Asian Games in Hangzhou are from September 23-October 8 and the Olympic qualifiers from October 26-November 1 in Tashkent.

“I feel the players’ opinion should have been taken into account as India did well with Dennerby in charge,” said Bhaichung Bhutia, a former head of the technical committee.

India beat Kyrgyzstan 5-0 and 4-0 in the first round of qualifiers and drew 0-0 with Iran in the Asian Cup, which was voided because of the pull-out. Appointed as India under-17 head coach for the 2020 World Cup, Dennerby took charge of the senior team in 2021 ahead of the Asian Cup.

Bhutia also said that at the last executive committee meeting, Andrews’ obvious conflict of interest as head coach of Gokulam Kerala FC was pointed out. As India’s most-capped former international, Bhutia is on the executive committee. “The executive committee asked the technical committee to look at other names. Did they do that?” asked another member. The member did not want to be named given the sensitive nature of the issue. Vijayan did not return calls from this newspaper.

Andrews helmed Gokulam Kerala FC to two successive Indian Women’s League titles in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He was assistant to Priya PV, now India under-17 women’s head coach, in the 2021 AFC Women’s Club Championship.

Ishfaq U-16 coach

The technical committee also recommended Ishfaq Ahmed, the former Kerala Blasters’ assistant-coach, as India men’s under-16 head coach. Ahmed will replace Bibiano Fernandes who left after seven years with the under-17 team earlier this month.