AIFF deny Nicolai Adam sacking

"All India Football Federation is surprised and denies the news report about sacking of FIFA U-17 World Cup Team head coach Nicolai Adam," read the AIFF website.

According to the HT report, Adam was "persuaded to step down with immediate effect" by the AIFF President Praful Patel in the aftermath of the dismal show put up by the Indian team on their tour to Russia and finished dead last in the tournament in Moscow, which featured 16 teams from around the world. India could manage just one win from their five outings in the tournament. While the AIFF admitted that a meeting had taken place between Adam and Patel, the governing body has rubbished the report of him being sacked.

"The AIFF President Mr. Praful Patel interacted on Tuesday (January 24, 2017) with the coach and the boys who were on their way back to Goa from the Valentin Granatkin Memorial Tournament in St Petersburg, Russia," added the AIFF report.

"The President discussed the performance of the team as well as the way forward towards preparing a more competitive team for the U-17 World Cup.

"The Team which has been sent on long exposure tours by AIFF to Germany, Dubai, Spain, South Africa, Norway, Brazil, Russia amongst others would resume their practice on February 1, 2017 in Goa."