New Delhi, Aug 1: Khalid Jamil on Friday became the first Indian to become the head coach of the national football team in 13 years as he pipped Stephen Constantine and Stefan Tarkovic to grab the coveted post.
The last Indian to serve as the head coach of the national men’s team was Savio Medeira, who held the position from 2011 to 2012.
The 48-year-old Jamil had guided the unheralded Aizawl Football Club to a famous I-League title in 2017 and has a tough task at hand to turnaround the struggling Indian team’s declining fortunes.
A former India international and currently in charge of Indian Super League side Jamshedpur FC, Jamil was selected by the AIFF’s executive committee.
Constantine was a former India head coach while Tarkovic has managed the Slovakia national team in the past.
The AIFF Technical Committee, led by legendary striker IM Vijayan, had shortlisted the three candidates for the executive committee’s final decision.
An AFC Pro License Diploma holder, Jamil will succeed Spaniard Manolo Marquez, who parted ways with the AIFF last month following India’s recent struggles.
“The AIFF ExCo has picked Khalid Jamil as the new head coach but his tenure has not yet been decided. We will do that after discussions with him and among ourselves. We also have to discuss with him his salary,” AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey said.
“Jamil wanted a three-year tenure. Some ExCo members said it could be one year or two years. But it will be a long-term tenure, may be two or three years, and performance-based,” Chaubey said.
The AIFF president also made it clear that Jamil will be a full-time national team head coach and will not be associated with any other club. Jamil’s predecessor Manolo had played a dual role during his one year tenure, taking charge of ISL side FC Goa when there was no national team matches.
Jamil’s first assignment in his new role will be the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup, to be held in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan from August 29. There are, however, indications that he may be allowed to continue with Jamshedpur FC in the ongoing Durand Cup whose final is scheduled for August 23.
Jamshedpur have made it to the quarterfinals, and if they enter the final, there could be very less time for Jamil to work for the Indian team before the CAFA Nations Cup.
Jamil has long been a trailblazer in Indian football.
The biggest achievement of his more than a decade-long managerial career was the 2016-17 I-League title with Aizawl FC, who upstaged big-spending giants like Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Bengaluru FC. The Mizoram based club had an annual budget of just around Rs 2 crore.
The unassuming Mumbaikar also guided two relatively understated sides – NorthEast United in 2020-21 and Jamshedpur in 2024-25 – to the ISL play-offs.
Legends wanted Indian coach
Jamil got the support from legends like Vijayan and Ali – Technical Committee chairperson and vice chairperson respectively – and former India coach Amrando Colaco who is currently advisor to Chaubey.
The AIFF said Vijayan was in favour of an Indian coach, saying the country had a much higher FIFA ranking under the likes of Sukhwinder Singh and Syed Nayeemuddin.
“He (Vijayan) strongly recommended Jamil, as he has already been conferred with the AIFF’s Men’s Coach of the Year Award on two occasions (2023-24 and 2024-25),” the AIFF said in a release.
Colaco and Ali also pitched in for an Indian head coach.
“Colaco and Ali expressed their views that the AIFF should prioritise selecting an Indian coach for the senior men’s national team… during their respective coaching careers, they, too, were once Indian coaches with no national team experience. However, they believe Indian coaches need to be given fair chance to prove themselves,” the AIFF said.
“Thereafter, the majority of the house accepted the recommendations of the TC.”
Former India players and current executive committee members Pinky Magar, Tababi Devi and Climax Lawrence also supported giving an opportunity to an Indian coach.
The Indian football body had received 170 applications, which included big names like former Liverpool stars Robbie Fowler and Harry Kewell. (PTI)
