From Reluctance to Passion: 'Accidental coach' Khalid Jamil's journey to top of Indian football

New Delhi: Khalid Jamil's rise can't exactly be termed as meteoric but the last eight years has been nothing less than extraordinary for the 48-year-old, who on Friday took over reins of the national men's football team.

If he decides to take a pause and look back to that summer of 2008, he might have a chuckle about his reluctance and anger after Mumbai FC management wanted him to coach the U-19s despite him being an active senior team player.

What if he would have rejected club's request outright? He didn't and thankfully on August 1, once an accidental coach is now at helm of country's national team.

From carrying Aizawl FC to an emotional I-League triumph which many felt was a shot in the arm for football in the north east to facing immense pressure of expectations while coaching Kolkata giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan with humongous fan base, Jamil has earned his stripes through the bump and grind of Indian football.

He is very much a product of the Indian football system having done his yards.

This is a system he can play around and vice-versa.

No wonder he is one of rare Indian head coach of an ISL side -- Jamshedpur FC and AIFF's choice to go for a 'Made In India' gaffer certainly won't raise eyeballs.

Jamil, the youngest of the three contenders and without national team coaching experience at any level, became the first Indian in 13 years to occupy the coveted post. The last Indian who was the national men's team head coach was Savio Medeira from 2011 to 2012.

Best Indian coach at the moment

Jamil is, without question, the best Indian coach at the moment. He is the AIFF 'Coach of the Year' in the last two seasons, having made a name for himself for helping teams punch above their weight both in the I-League and the Indian Super League.

The unassuming Mumbaikar is a quintessential hard-worker known for meticulous planning before matches. His philosophy has been 'train hard and play harder'.

If one compares Jamil with coaches of yesteryears, closest comparison would be Syed Nayeemuddin, another firm believer in slogging hard at training and enjoying the fruits of labour during matches.

An AFC Pro License Diploma holder, Jamil has long been a trailblazer in Indian football.

Football was not a career option for Jamil initially

Jamil was born in Kuwait but his family shifted to Mumbai after the Gulf War (1990-91). While studying at the famous Rizvi College in Mumbai, he made it to the university team. He later played for Mahindra United, Air India and Mumbai FC for major part of his club career.

"I always liked football from childhood, but when I started I didn’t play the sport thinking of it as a profession. I kept on playing and it went like that," he had said.

He is a deeply religious man, who offers namaaz five times a day.

Jamil made his national team debut in 1997 in a SAFF Cup match against Bangladesh in Kathmandu. A contemporary of the legendary Bhaichung Bhutia, Jamil played 15 matches for India till his retirement in 2006 due to injuries.

Accidental coach

While playing for the Mumbai FC senior team, he was asked to coach the junior side in 2008 and he reluctantly did that, and that changed his life.

"I was in the Mumbai FC senior team but one day I was asked to coach the U19 team. I had the hunger to play in senior team and did not want to coach. I was angry but agreed to coach the junior team," he had said.

"The U19 team did very well, won the league. Since David Booth has left the senior team, I was asked to take charge of the senior team (in 2009)." At just 33, he became the youngest coach in the I-League. He spent six seasons at Mumbai FC as head coach.

Playing style

The national team under Jamil may not be pleasing to watch, with less of 'tiki-taka' style short passing system. It will be a hard-working, well-organised, defensively solid unit.

His style is expected to be pragmatic football, according to match situation.

Jamil has spoken about keeping things simple, allowing his players the freedom to express themselves while maintaining defensive discipline.

"My instructions (to players) are play defensively, man to man, be in shape, otherwise I give them a lot of freedom, to play their natural game depending on match situations," he had said.

"I don't give too many instructions especially to inexperienced Indian players. It should shouldn't be like my players are like robots and do exactly as I say. It's not very rigid.

Task ahead

Jamil will have the tough task of reversing India's poor performances in recent past.

After losing 0-1 to lower-ranked Hong Kong in an away match of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers on June 10, the country has been left in danger of missing out on qualifying for the continental showpiece in 2027.

After the CAFA Nations Cup in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan beginning August 29, India play their AFC Asian Cup qualifying round games on October 9 and 14 -- against Singapore home and away.

After that, India face Bangladesh on November 18 -- away match -- and Hong Kong on March 31, 2026 at home. India are currently at the bottom of the group table. Only the group winners will qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

Only time will tell whether Jamil can pull the national team out of the downward spiral. That will be a fairytale and he would want to tell that tale.