Constantine in line for an extension

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) said they are not parting ways with national team coach Stephen Constantine, and stressed the team has performed “excellently” under him.

Constantine's contract ends at the end of January after the Asian Cup at UAE (January 5-February 1), prompting reports of him parting ways with Indian football. AIFF, however, denied such a development.

"It is completely baseless. We are completely focused on AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 and the team has been performing excellently under Stephen Constantine having risen to 97 from 173 in the FIFA ranking within less than 4 years," AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das said in the statement.

"We all are focused on the massive tournament right now and we'll only sit together to discuss this once his contract ends on 31st January 2019," he added.

The 56-year-old, roped in as the Indian head coach for the second time in 2015, was awarded a contract extension of one year in 2017. He got another one-year extension, earlier this year, lasting till the end of the Asian Cup.

"Back in 2015, when the Briton took the charge of the Blue Tigers, they were ranked 173 in the FIFA rankings. Since then, they have experienced a meteoric rise in the ladder to surge up to 97 in the latest-released FIFA rankings," the AIFF said.

India face Thailand in the AFC Asian Cup in their first match at the Al Nahyan Stadium on January 6.