While Dempo coach Armando Colaco was on Friday officially appointed as India's [ Images ] interim coach for four months -- a period that will see the team play two World Cup qualifiers and a few friendly internationals -- the AIFF is also trying to recruit a technical director at the earliest.

The budget constraints notwithstanding, the All India Football Federation is looking for a technical director whose profile is bigger than former national coach Bob Houghton, according to AIFF officials.

The technical director, according to some AIFF sources, will have a say in the selection of the coach.

"The technical director will definitely be a foreigner and the federation, it seems, is looking for someone whose profile is bigger than Houghton. And he is also likely to have a say in the selection of the coach," an AIFF official said after an executive committee meeting in New Delhi [ Images ], on Friday.

General secretary Kushal Das too said that efforts are on to get a technical director as quickly as possible to assist in the development programme and appointment of coaches, though nothing about Colaco's salary was discussed in the meeting.

"Once we get a technical director, we will start looking for a long-term coach and we hope to get one in the next few months."

It has also been decided to host India's pre-World Cup qualifier against UAE at the Jawaharlal Nehru [ Images ] Stadium in New Delhi. The match is slated to be held on July 28.

The committee gave its consent to India's friendly matches (Olympic [ Images ] team) against Pakistan subject to clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The AIFF had received an invitation from Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) to play a series in June.

The committee also asked national team midfielder NP Pradeep to publish an advertisement in a national daily (all editions -- at his own cost) making a disclaimer that he has not posted any derogatory comments on any social networking site and apologise for any disregard caused to the AIFF and its officials.

Pradeep was earlier slapped a show-cause notice for his outbursts against the federation on a social networking site over Houghton's unceremonious exit.

AIFF president Praful Patel [ Images ] presided over the meeting which was attended by general secretary Kushal Das, vice-presidents Subrata Dutta, Ankur Dutta, Joaquim Alemao and other members.