The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has appointed Khalid Jamil as the head coach of the Senior Men’s Indian National Football Team, following a decisive vote during the Executive Committee’s virtual meeting on Friday.
The appointment was made based on the recommendation of the AIFF’s Technical Committee, with significant support shown for giving an Indian coach a chance to lead the national side.
First Indian Head Coach in Over a Decade
Khalid Jamil becomes the first Indian head coach of the men’s national team in over a decade, signaling a shift in AIFF’s policy towards grooming and trusting homegrown managerial talent.
The decision came after a SWOT analysis presented by AIFF’s Technical Director Syed Sabir Pasha and National Teams Director Subrata Paul of three shortlisted candidates:
- Khalid Jamil
- Stephen Constantine
- Štefan Tarkovič
During the meeting chaired by AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, Vice President NA Haris, Treasurer Kipa Ajay, and attended by key technical members and award-winning Indian coaches like Bimal Ghosh, Armando Colaco, and Shabbir Ali, strong emphasis was placed on the need to empower Indian coaching talent.
“Give Indian Coaches a Fair Chance”
Former national team legends and coaches shared their belief that Indian coaches deserve the opportunity to lead the national side, even if they lack international experience — a sentiment echoed by Technical Committee Chairperson IM Vijayan.
Vijayan highlighted India’s past success under local coaches like Sukhwinder Singh and Syed Nayeemuddin, and pointed out Jamil’s accolades, including being named AIFF’s Men’s Coach of the Year for 2023–24 and 2024–25.
Why Khalid Jamil?
Several factors influenced the decision to pick Jamil:
See also
- Regular involvement with Indian players across ISL and I-League
- Strong leadership and man-management skills
- Proven track record in Indian football at the club level
- Cultural and linguistic alignment with domestic talent
What’s Next for Indian Football?
India is set to compete in the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 later this month, followed by AFC Asian Cup Final Round Qualifiers against Singapore in October.
AIFF members felt that Jamil’s current rapport with Indian players would be crucial in these upcoming fixtures.Summary
Appointed CoachKhalid JamilReplacesForeign coaching candidatesKey EndorsementsIM Vijayan, Armando Colaco, Shabbir AliUpcoming ChallengesCAFA Nations Cup, AFC QualifiersNotable AchievementsAIFF Coach of the Year (2023–24, 2024–25)
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