Ranjit Bajaj’s involvement with India’s U-15 World Cup campaign has taken another dramatic turn, with the Minerva Academy owner now expressing his willingness to lead the team after reports emerged that Bibiano Fernandes may not accept the head coach position. Bajaj had initially rejected the team manager’s role after the AIFF appointed him alongside Fernandes, arguing that their contrasting footballing philosophies could hurt the team’s preparation. “We just have different playing styles and different visions. A low-block counter-attacking style is completely different from a high-press style,” Bajaj had said.
However, in his latest video, Bajaj revealed that he had learned through a trusted source and media reports that Fernandes had also said no, reportedly over similar concerns. “I just got to know through a trusted source and an article in the newspaper that Bibiano has also said no, citing exactly the same reasons which I have said,” Bajaj stated. He then indicated that the door remains open for him to take charge, saying, “It’s still not too late if Bibiano is not going to be there.” Bajaj also declared, “I am prepared, I am ready. Giving up is not in the blood. In fact, if I get this, I am going to work even harder.” He stressed that his earlier refusal was not a rejection of serving India, adding, “I can never say no to my country.”
The complete Ranjit Bajaj–AIFF saga ahead of U-15 FIFA World Cup
The Ranjit Bajaj–AIFF controversy began after Bajaj, founder of Minerva Academy, publicly pushed for greater control of India’s U-15 setup following Minerva’s impressive youth performances, including a 6-0 win over Liverpool’s U-15 side. He wanted AIFF to give him a major role in preparing India for the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and argued that he had a proven development model.
AIFF subsequently appointed Bajaj as team manager, while Bibiano Fernandes was reportedly brought in as head coach. That arrangement quickly became problematic because Bajaj and Fernandes were understood to have different footballing philosophies. Bajaj said he could not work effectively with a coach whose approach differed significantly from his own, and therefore rejected the manager’s position. The disagreement was essentially over who would have control and how the team should play.
The situation became even more complicated when reports emerged that Fernandes had also refused the role, reportedly citing similar concerns. Bajaj then changed his position. In his latest video, he said that if Bibiano was no longer taking the job, he was “prepared” and “ready” to take charge himself, arguing that he could never say no to representing India. The controversy has therefore evolved from a manager-versus-coach disagreement into a question of AIFF’s handling of the entire U-15 World Cup project, with fans also debating Bajaj’s coaching credentials and whether AIFF should have appointed the two men together in the first place.
