The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Monday re-appointed Swede Thomas Dennerby as the national women's team head coach ahead of the AFC Olympic Qualifiers Round 2, even though its technical committee had recommended Gokulam Kerala's Anthony Andrews.
On July 13, the technical committee of the AIFF, chaired by IM Vijayan, had recommended Andrews, who guided Gokulam Kerala FC to back-to-back Indian Women's League (IWL) titles in the last two seasons, to succeed Dennerby whose earlier contract had ended in March.
However, it is learnt that many players in the national team wanted Dennerby's continuation and had requested for the same to the AIFF. Dennerby was in charge of the national team in the first round of Olympic qualifiers, against Kyrgyzstan on April 4 and 7 -- which India won -- before leaving. He is now at the helm again for the second round of the Olympic qualifiers in October.
Andrews will also remain in the set-up as he was named as the coach, while Maymol Rocky will be the assistant coach and Ronibala Chanu the goalkeeping coach. A source said it is not necessary for the AIFF to accept the recommendation of the technical committee.
The 27-year-old Andrews is among the youngest coaches in India to have an AFC 'A' License. Under his guidance Gokulam Kerala won the IWL titles in 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. "The committee, after having a long discussion on appointing the head coach of the senior women's national team, decided to recommend Anthony Andrews for the coveted post," the AIFF had said in a release.
The current national team has many players from Gokulam like captain Ashalata Devi, Grace Dangmei, Ranjana Chanu, Indumathi Kathiresan and Sandhiya Ranganathan.
The senior national women's team will be playing the AFC Olympic Qualifiers Round 2 from October 26 to November 1, where it has been clubbed with Japan, Vietnam and Uzbekistan. India are scheduled to play Japan on October 26, Vietnam on October 29 and Uzbekistan on November 1. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the third round from where the first two teams will make the 2024 Paris Olympics.
List of 34 probables selected for national camp
Goalkeepers: Sowmiya Narayanasamy, Maibam Linthoingambi Devi, Shreya Hooda.
Defenders: Loitongbam Ashalata Devi, Ngangbam Sweety Devi, Sanju, Ritu Rani, Sorokhaibam Ranjana Chanu, Michel Margaret Castanha, Dalima Chhibber, Manisa Panna, Astam Oraon, Juli Kishan, Shilky Devi, Jabamani Tudu.
Midfielders: Priyangka Devi, Anju Tamang, Indumathi Kathiresan, Sangita Basfore, Kajol Hubert Dsouza, Asem Roja Devi, Karthika Angamuthu.
Forwards: Dangmei Grace, Soumya Guguloth, Manisha Kalyan, Apurna Narzary, Neha, Sumati Kumari, Renu, Karishma Purushottam Shirvoikar, Sandhiya Ranganathan, Pyari Xaxa, Jyoti, Ngangom Bala Devi.
Coaching Staff: Thomas Dennerby (Head Coach), Anthony Samson Andrews (Coach), Maymol Rocky (Assistant Coach), Ronibala Chanu (Goalkeeping Coach).