AIFF to Pay Ex-Coach Stimac $400K in Compensation

According to an agreement signed between Igor Stimac and the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the former head coach of the men’s national team would earn USD 400,000 (about Rs 3.36 crore) after taxes as payment for leaving his position.

The team was eliminated from the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers after receiving a relatively easy draw, and in June the AIFF fired Stimac, ending his contract precisely a year before it was set to expire.

Following his dismissal, Stimac and the AIFF engaged in a savage verbal sparring match in which the Croat threatened to sue the federation for failure to pay his debts within ten days. Nonetheless, a consensus has finally been achieved by the two sides.
To resolve the dispute with AIFF, the high brass of AIFF has sanctioned payment of USD 400,000 in compensation, a person with knowledge of the situation informed PTI on Sunday.

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For a federation that has recently suffered financially and has cut its competition budget this year, it is a rather substantial sum. After being fired, Stimac was first granted three months’ salary as compensation by AIFF. However, he turned this offer down and proceeded to FIFA last month to demand two years’ worth of pay, or USD 920,000 (about Rs 7.72 crore), from the nation’s top football organization.

Stimac Tenure

The AIFF granted the 57-year-old Stimac, who was named head coach in 2019, an extension through 2026. Stimac was given the understanding that he would receive an extension only if the squad advanced to the Asian Cup quarterfinals, an accomplishment that has never been accomplished.

When they competed in the continental showcase in the 2011 and 2015 editions, India placed last in the group. Stimac was succeeded as head coach of the Indian men’s team by Manolo Marquez. The former India coach has previously turned down offers from the AIFF to accept salary payments of five and ten months, respectively.