New Delhi, Aug 26 - As the All India Football Federation (AIFF) gets down Sunday to select the new general secretary, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) vice-president Manilal Fernando feels that incumbent Alberto Colaco should continue in the interest of Indian football.

On a surprise two-day visit to India, the Sri Lankan business tycoon impressed upon AIFF's stand-in president Praful Patel that Colaco's departure at this juncture would be a big blow to Indian football.

Speaking to IANS on the sidelines of the ONGC Nehru Cup Tuesday, Fernando, a known bitter rival of AIFF's ailing president Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi in the AFC, is believed to have told Patel that Colaco should stay and his office should be strengthened with a team of professional executives.

Colaco, a trusted lieutenant of Dasmunsi, told Patel in June that he would not like to continue as general secretary and the exercise to find a successor began.

Sri Lankan Fernando, who is also a FIFA development officer for South and Central Asia, said Colaco's experience of eight years in office should be utilised when Indian football is in for quantum leap.

'I had a long chat with Mr. Patel on the future of Indian football. I think it is not the right time for Colaco to leave Indian football. He has been in the loop of things for the last eight years. And a change in the administration at this critical juncture could be fatal,' he said.

Colaco's eight-year tenure as AIFF's first professional general secretary will end by this month-end as a selection committee had already short-listed candidates for the job.