Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 1: In a landmark decision, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Friday named Khalid Jamil as the new head coach of the Indian men’s national football team — making him the first Indian to take up the role in 13 years.
The 48-year-old former India international pipped former India coach Stephen Constantine and Slovakia’s Stefan Tarkovic to bag the top job. He replaces Spaniard Manolo Marquez, whose contract ended last month after a string of poor performances.
Jamil’s appointment comes with expectations of revival as the Indian team struggles to stay afloat in the race to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup 2027. His immediate challenge will be to guide the team at the upcoming CAFA Nations Cup beginning August 29 in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, followed by crucial qualifiers against Singapore in October.
“This will be a full-time role. Khalid Jamil will not be associated with any club, unlike his predecessor,” said AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, adding that Jamil’s tenure could be two or three years based on performance.
Jamil, who currently manages Jamshedpur FC in the Indian Super League, earned national acclaim after guiding underdogs Aizawl FC to a historic I-League title in 2017. He also led NorthEast United and Jamshedpur FC to ISL playoffs, proving his mettle with modest resources.
Backed strongly by football legends and AIFF Technical Committee heads IM Vijayan and Shabbir Ali, Jamil’s appointment reflects a broader push for homegrown talent. “He has won the AIFF Men’s Coach of the Year twice. We need to give Indian coaches a chance,” Vijayan said.
AIFF officials also confirmed that over 170 applications were received, including big international names like Robbie Fowler and Harry Kewell, but Jamil’s familiarity with Indian football tipped the scales in his favour.
The AIFF executive committee concluded that Jamil's consistent work with domestic players makes him the right choice to lead India during this crucial phase.