NEW DELHI: The official announcement is still awaited but Indian football team coach Stephen Constantine has reportedly signed a contract extension with the All India Football Federation that runs till May 2018.
This effectively means that the Englishman will see out India’s AFC Asian Cup third round qualification which ends in March next year.
According to Goal.com, the AIFF has managed to convince Constantine to extend his stay by 14 months. AIFF general secretary Kushal Das had earlier stressed the importance of India qualifying for the 2019 Asian Cup, and the governing body of Indian football believes Constantine is the one who can get the team there.
Constantine’s first spell with the Indian team came between 2002 and 2005. It was his second spell that was more rewarding, though. Despite the disappointing results in the World Cup Qualifiers, it was under Constantine that India’s ranking rose to 129, and the team also triumphed at the SAFF Championship.
Since rejoining the team as coach in 2015, after Wim Koeverman’s contract ened, India won nine, drew two and lost seven games.
