The AIFF’s attempt to unite two of Indian football’s most influential youth figures has unravelled within hours, with Ranjit Bajaj confirming he will not take up the role of India U-15 team manager for the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival.

The Minerva Academy owner has criticised both the federation’s handling of his appointment and the structure of the setup, insisting he was never informed before the announcement was made public and questioning the logic of working alongside head coach Bibiano Fernandes.

Ranjit Bajaj says AIFF never informed him before the announcement

Speaking after the AIFF confirmed him as India U-15 team manager, Bajaj revealed he first learnt about the appointment through congratulatory phone calls rather than from the federation itself.

“I had absolutely no idea. I found out only after I started getting calls asking me whether I had been appointed. That’s how I got to know. Nobody from the AIFF had spoken to me before the announcement.”

He said he eventually contacted AIFF officials himself, who then confirmed the appointment before sending him the official communication.

Bajaj described the process as unprofessional and said it reflected wider issues within Indian football administration.

“This is not how a professional federation works. Unfortunately, this has become a repeated pattern. These are the things that are hurting Indian football.”

‘I don’t see the logic’ behind AIFF’s appointment

Bajaj stressed that his decision was not directed at Bibiano Fernandes personally, but at the AIFF’s decision to pair two individuals with different footballing philosophies without prior discussions.

“I don’t see the logic behind appointing me as manager and Bibiano as coach together.”

He explained that he would have been expected to work with Bibiano’s existing coaching staff rather than the support team he has developed at Minerva Academy.

“With absolutely no disrespect to Bibiano or his coaching staff, I don’t know them. If I don’t know the people around me, how am I supposed to work in complete sync with them?”

Drawing a comparison with elite football, Bajaj added:

“It’s like appointing Mourinho and Pep together. I’m not comparing our stature, but our styles are different. They have different ideas, different ways of working. It just doesn’t make sense.”

Multiple reports have also suggested Bajaj’s preference for an aggressive, high-pressing style differs significantly from Bibiano’s more structured defensive approach, further contributing to his reluctance to accept the role.

Timing of the appointment also questioned

Bajaj also raised concerns over the timing of the decision, arguing that meaningful youth-team preparation cannot begin just weeks before a FIFA tournament.

The inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival is scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan in October, leaving little time for scouting, squad building and tactical preparation.

“Youth football is about long-term planning. You don’t start building a World Cup team two months before the tournament.”

For Bajaj, the issue extends beyond a single appointment.

“This isn’t about me. This is about the way Indian football continues to function. If we keep doing things like this, we’ll keep getting the same results.”

AIFF faces fresh questions over youth football planning

The AIFF had approved Bibiano Fernandes’ appointment as head coach while naming Bajaj as team manager during its Executive Committee meeting on Thursday, in what appeared to be an attempt to combine continuity within the national youth setup with Bajaj’s widely recognised grassroots expertise.

Instead, the decision has quickly become another source of controversy.

Bajaj’s withdrawal shifts attention away from India’s preparations for the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival and back onto the federation’s planning process, with questions now being asked over why the appointment was announced before securing the agreement of one of its key appointees.