New Delhi: In what could be termed as a major setback for Subhas Bhowmick and Sukhwinder Singh, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has reiterated its stand that only coaches possessing AFC A License should be allowed to coach I-League teams.

The AFC, according to federation sources, has also turned down an AIFF request that senior and experienced coaches, who do not have the required license, should be allowed to continue after they attend a crash course under a qualified instructor.

“With the AFC turning down the AIFF proposal, coaches like Bhowmick, Sukhwinder and Bimal Ghosh will now not be able to officially coach their respective club side,” sources said. “Their clubs will now have to look for a coach, who holds an AFC license.”

Interestingly, these three are considered as India’s most experienced coaches. Sukhwinder, a former India coach and technical director, has been coaching JCT since 1992. Bhowmick, a bronze medallist in the 1970 Asian Games, is also a former India coach and has a highly successful coaching career at the domestic level.

Currently, Bhowmick is associated with Salgaocar. Bimal Ghosh is the Air India coach for nearly 15 years.

Sources in both JCT and Salgaocar said their respective club management was ready for such an eventuality and had already chalked out their plans. While JCT might make Parminder Singh (he has an AFC B License) the coach and Sukhwinder the manager for “technical” reasons, Peter Valles (A License holder) may ‘take over’ as the Salgaocar coach, though on paper only.