Akhmedov appointed coach for Millennium Cup

India's preparation for the Millennium Cup international football tournament next month suffered a setback with national coach Sukhvinder Singh expressing his inability to join the camp for probables.

Islam Akhmedov, coach of the under-15 and under-19 teams under the Youth Development Programme, has been appointed the coach of Indian team for the tournament, newly-elected secretary of All India Football Federation Alberto Colaco said in a statement on Wednesday.

Sukhvinder Singh has cited his commitments with his club, JCT, Phagwara, for the Rovers Cup and National Football League, as the reason for not taking up the coaching assignment, the statement said.

Krishanjit Rao will be the technical director while Brahmanand Shankwalkar will coach the goalkeepers.