The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is contemplating terminating the contract of head coach Igor Stimac following India’s shocking 1-2 defeat to the depleted Afghanistan side in Guwahati on March 26.
The AIFF had handed Stimac a two-year contract in 2019, which was extended till January 2024 and then again till June 2026. However, the latest contract does not include a severance clause, which could complicate matters if the federation decides to sack the coach.
Stimac draws a salary of USD 30,000 (Rs 25 lakh approximately) per month, and the AIFF may have to pay him more than USD 750,000 (Rs 6.254 crore approximately) if it terminates his contract now.
The AIFF is also unhappy with some of the comments made by Stimac after the loss to Afghanistan, with the coach saying he will quit if the team does not reach the World Cup qualifiers round 3 in June. The AIFF has constituted a five-member committee to discuss the matter with Stimac and seek clarification on the matter.
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The team is also looking into whether the earlier clause of the contract can be construed as a part of the latest contract, in which case the earlier severance clause of three months would still apply.
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