While Dempo coach Armando Colaco was on Friday officially appointed as India's interim coach for four months -- a period that will see the team play two World Cup qualifiers and a few friendly internationals -- the AIFF is also trying to recruit a technical director at the earliest.
The budget constraints notwithstanding, the All India Football Federation is looking for a technical director whose profile is bigger than former national coach Bob Houghton, according to AIFF officials.
The technical director, according to some AIFF sources, will have a say in the selection of the coach.
"The technical director will definitely be a foreigner and the federation, it seems, is looking for someone whose profile is bigger than Houghton. And he is also likely to have a say in the selection of the coach," an AIFF official said after an executive committee meeting in New Delhi, on Friday.
General secretary Kushal Das too said that efforts are on to get a technical director as quickly as possible to assist in the development programme and appointment of coaches, though nothing about Colaco's salary was discussed in the meeting.
"Once we get a technical director, we will start looking for a long-term coach and we hope to get one in the next few months."
It has also been decided to host India's pre-World Cup qualifier against UAE at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. The match is slated to be held on July 28.
The committee gave its consent to India's friendly matches (Olympic team) against Pakistan subject to clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The AIFF had received an invitation from Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) to play a series in June.
The committee also asked national team midfielder NP Pradeep to publish an advertisement in a national daily (all editions -- at his own cost) making a disclaimer that he has not posted any derogatory comments on any social networking site and apologise for any disregard caused to the AIFF and its officials.
Pradeep was earlier slapped a show-cause notice for his outbursts against the federation on a social networking site over Houghton's unceremonious exit.
AIFF president Praful Patel presided over the meeting which was attended by general secretary Kushal Das, vice-presidents Subrata Dutta, Ankur Dutta, Joaquim Alemao and other members.
