Nicolai Adam saga continues; India U-17 boys to resume training on Tuesday

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has not started the process to find a replacement for coach Nicolai Adam even as the Under-17 national team starts training from Tuesday in Goa under outgoing technical director Scott O’Donnell for a week and then under former Salgaocar and India star Savio Mediera.

The India under-17 boys will resume training for the World Cup from Tuesday in Goa, it was learnt from officials of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Monday. Some of the boys travelled with outgoing technical director Scott O’ Donnell and an AIFF official from New Delhi on Monday.

India under-17 football coach Nicolai Adam had sent the severance offer made by the AIFF last week to lawyers in Germany and all terms of disengagement have subsequently been ironed out, said the federation official. He could step down this week. (AIFF)

“The process of looking for German Nicolai Adam’s replacement can start only after he signs the severance agreement,” said an AIFF official requesting anonymity as he is not authorised to talk to the media on this. And it would be done in consultation with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) because they picked up a substantial portion of the coach’s salary and would do the same for Adam’s successor.

Nicolai Adam, it was learnt, had sent the offer made by the AIFF last week to lawyers in Germany and all terms of disengagement have subsequently been ironed out, said the federation official. He could step down this week.

It is likely that Adam would get a severance pay of four-and-a-half months’ salary, which is around 12,000 euros (R 8.74 lakh approximately) per month. In return, the AIFF would drop the charges of abusive behaviour made by the boys after they returned from a tournament in Russia where India finished 15th out of 16 teams. As part of the arrangement, neither party would speak publicly about the signed complaint made to the AIFF by the boys.

Also, as part of the arrangement Adam would not interact with the boys. The coach, it was learnt, had requested to be allowed to stay till month-end because his children go to school in Goa.

With O’Donnell scheduled to leave India later this week, the boys will train under former Salgaocar and India star Savio Mediera who is now a coach education instructor and development officer. On return from Russia on January 23, the boys were kept in New Delhi for over a week before being sent home. The under-17 World Cup begins on October 6.