Football coach Stephen Constantine to leave India after his term?
While there have been talks about extension of his contract, India's national football team coach Stephen has plans of joining a League A team in Australia after February. According to a source, Stephen Constantine who joined India's coaching team in January 2015 has been approached by a top A-league side for a coaching role. Constantine's two year contract ends in February 2017.
Stephen Constantine
Stephen Constantine is a football coach from England. He is also a former football player, but retired at an early age due to a knee injury. Stephen started his coaching career in the United States, before he managed national teams of Nepal, Sudan, India, Malawa and Rwanda. He has also coached clubs like Millwall Reserves, Nea Salamis Famagusta FC, Ethnikos Achnas FC and APEP.
Constantine's career as Indian coach
Stephen took over as coach of Indian national football team in May 2002. He quit in April 2005 to move to London based Millwall FC. He was again hired as the Indian coach in 2015 after he took Rwanda to their peak rankings of 68.
What has Constantine done for Indian football?
When Constantine took charge of nation's football team, he took the team into top 125 world rankings for the first time. India also registered their first victory outside Asia since 1974 under his tenure. In 2015, he vowed to take India to a higher rank when India was 171st ranked. In the latest rankings, India is ranked 129th, its best in the last decade.
Constantine's displeasure with the AIFF working
Stephen Constantine has always been vocal when it came to showing displeasure towards Indian football officials. He was not happy when a training camp was cancelled due to the Indian Super League and also when Indian team failed to go to USA for friendly matches.
