Kerr

New Delhi: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Saturday announced the names of four foreigners, as recommended by the technical committee, to be interviewed on Wednesday for appointment as India’s national coach.

All four are established names in soccer coaching. While Ian Porterfield is a former Chelsea manager, Brian Kerr is a former Ireland national team coach. However, the most glamorous of the lot is 63-year-old Dutchman Clemence Westerhof, who managed PSV Eindhoven and also guided Nigeria to the 1994 World Cup finals.

Bob Houghton completes the quartet. He has coached China and Uzbekistan in the past.

AIFF general secretary Alberto Colaco said all four have been asked to appear before the technical committee in the capital on Wednesday. Two of them have already confirmed their arrival, he said.

Porterfield

Houghton is believed to have received maximum votes because of his experience of coaching in Asia. The 58-year-old Englishman earned fame as national coach of the Chinese team in the late 90s. He helped the team win bronze in the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games and played a key role in China’s qualification for the World Cup finals.

It is quite evident that the technical committee has preferred an English-speaking coach. That could be the main reason why some reputed Latin American and East European names, who had also thrown their hat into the ring, got eliminated.

Kerr may not be a frontrunner because of his lack of experience in coaching in Asia. While one technical committee member pointed it out that Kerr is a product of a strong Irish system, which couldn’t be provided here, another member thought the style of Irish football may not suit the Indians.

One member, however, has felt that Kerr could be better used if he is given the charge of the national youth teams and made the in-charge of the project to educate the coaches.

Westerhof has been recommended by former Nigerian footballer, Stephen, who once dazzled for JCT and Mohun Bagan in the 90s.