AIFF appoints former India striker Abhishek Yadav as Deputy General Secretary
It is the first time that a former national player has been appointed to a high-ranked position at AIFF
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is set to appoint former India international Abhishek Yadav as its Deputy General Secretary.
It is a rare instance in Indian football to see a former player appointed to such a high-ranked position. Even in European football history, it is not that common to see former players been given such key roles.
The Indian FA are looking to utilise the experience of Abhishek Yadav in a bid to football ecosystem in the country. Yadav has been heavily involved with the AIFF in the past and most recently held the role of the National Team Director.
“Abhishek has done a commendable job so far and I have personally observed Abhishek grow in stature as an administrator,” AIFF President Praful Patel told PTI.
“I’m very thankful to the AIFF for trusting me with such an important role," Yadav said.
"I must thank AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das who has guided and given me valuable inputs throughout my time I have been involved in the AIFF set up. I also have to thank the President (Praful Patel) for supporting me in various football development initiatives."
AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das lauded Abhishek Yadav and the work he has done with the AIFF in various capacities.
“Abhishek has really impressed in the time he has been with the AIFF, working with our scouting program and national teams. He has risen through the system with his hard work and we feel that he is well suited to such a role and has all the tools to succeed in it,” Das said.
Yadav was one of the brains behind the Sports Authority of India (SAI)-AIFF international scouting project which helped them unearth key players who went on to become a part of the U-17 World Cup squad. He also contributed immensely to the revival of the Indian Arrows project after the 2017 U17 World Cup.
Yadav has also served as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the 2017 U17 Indian World Cup team, collaborating closely with Luis Norton de Maros, the head coach.
As a player, he represented the likes of Mahindra United, Churchill Brothers and Mumbai FC.
He scored the winner in India’s LG Cup win in 2002 coming on as a substitute in the final against Vietnam. He was also a part of the Indian team which participated in the 2011 Asian Cup in Qatar.