ISL 2021-22 | Khalid Jamil becomes first Indian head coach of an ISL team
Khalid Jamil guided Northeast United FC to a top-four finish last season
|ISL
Khalid Jamil became the first Indian to be appointed as the head coach of an Indian Super League side. The veteran took over the reins from outgoing coach Gerard Nus midway through the last season and guided the highlanders to their second-ever top-four finish in their ISL history.
Northeast United FC were almost on the brink of exiting from the ISL midway through the last season, while Spanish coach Gerard Nus was under the scanner. The management parted ways with the manager and appointed the then assistant manager Khalid Jamil as the interim head coach.Â
The veteran Indian manager changed the entire course of the season, as he guided the Highlanders to an unbeaten nine-match streak and also earned them qualification to the semi-final. Even though the team failed to progress to the final, Khalid’s excellent work was duly noted. It was on Sunday that Khalid was appointed as the head coach of the Northeast United FC side for the upcoming season.
“Indian coaches are as capable (as others). If any coach is given the confidence by the management, results can happen because then it is up to the person to deliver," said Khalid Jamil, during an earlier interview with Sportstar.
Khalid claim to fame moment surfaced when he steered Aizawl FC to a historic I-League title back in 2016-17. He has also managed teams like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal in the past.
