<p>The dust has settled after another season in the Indian Super League season and as the clubs switch focus to the next, the powers of be might just have some thoughts lurking in the corner of their mind. </p>.<p>After all, Khalid Jamil has shown that Indian coaches can mix it up with the big boys, potentially opening a whole new territory. Yes, ultimately the result did not go his way in terms of silverware but with a 10-game unbeaten run that took the unheralded team - that was struggling to find its footing when he took over - into the semifinals, Jamil had done his bit to open a discussion for Indian coaches. </p>.<p>The general narrative flung around is that foreign coaches are superior tactically and as man-managers to their Indian counterparts. Some are, some not - there is evidence for both.</p>.<p>Last season ISL had amended their rules and allowed clubs to hire Indian coaches with an AFC pro license if they so desired. Curiously even as Jamil took over his team and there was no replacement in sight, Jamil's official title remained 'interim head coach'. </p>.<p>"If we had white skin everyone would have taken us (Indian coaches)," says Armando Colaco, who won five league titles between 2004-12 with Dempo SC. "There are coaches capable of coaching at the highest level in India but are the franchises ready to take the chance?" </p>.<p>Well, there is an Indian assistant role in the ISL. Some clubs use it better than others. The spectrum varies with clubs who appoint experienced coaches like Sanjoy Sen (I-League winner with Bagan) and Thangboi Singto (former Shillong Lajong coach) for the role to untested ones like Steven Dias and Ishfaq Ahmed. </p>.<p>"Lot of the coaches who end up in the assistant role, they haven't really coached a senior team in their lives. Are they coaches or ex-players who have happen to have the licenses?" asks Pradhyum Reddy, a reputed coach and one of the leading analyst in Indian football. </p>.<p>"It is tough for the clubs in terms of popularity, they need coaches of repute. It's been a tough journey for us," says Singto, assistant coach of Hyderabad FC. </p>.<p>"Some foreign coaches are accommodating (of our role), like a Rene Mulenstein or Nelo Vingada. But it's high time and we need to find if we are good enough or not? Kitne saal assistant banke rahenge? (How many years will we stay as assistants?)" </p>.<p>People in the know say there are some who are maybe happy with the assistant role. The monetary disparity between the top two divisions is such that it would benefit to be an assistant in the ISL than a head coach in I-League in many cases. There is also the comfort of being away from the pressure. Even when thrust into the limelight in an interim role, the expectation is damage limitation. </p>.<p>"If I were to take up an assistant job in ISL, I want a guide who can groom me. Not all the coaches in ISL are good coaches," says Yan Law, who has already coached Minerva Punjab, Mohammedan Sporting and now Aizawl FC, by the age of 28. He has opted to stay away from the assistant role and, as he says, bet on himself.</p>.<p>When used right, the assistant role is vital. There are clubs like Bengaluru FC who put assistant coach and their B team's coach Naushad Moosa in the hot seat, thinking long term, when they parted ways with Carles Cuadrat mid-way through the season. </p>.<p>"Moosa has gained experience here, preparing training sessions and working with the first team. Now, we can prepare our system below. The transition from youth to senior level takes time because players are overawed. Our thought process was Moosa will now know what is expected of Indian players coming into that level," says Mandar Tamhane, BFC CEO. </p>.<p>By his own admission, Moosa feels he needs 'a year or two more' to take up the head coach role. But admits his learnings will help facilitate talent through the ranks at BFC, a club that, especially in its early years, built its reputation on improving players.</p>.<p>Probably a coach's biggest challenge, especially with the foreign players, is man management. Football has changed, so have the players.</p>.<p>"The quality of players is a lot better in ISL, more Europeans and who are more polished. You have to figure out how to manage players," says Derrick Pereira, technical director at FC Goa and himself a league title winner as a coach back in 2006 with Mahindra United. </p>.<p>"(Back then) it was mostly African and South America players. Man management is different from ISL to I-League." </p>.<p>Even in I-League - the second division - this remains a challenge as Chennai City FC owner Rohit Ramesh found out. The Tamil Nadu outfit went into their first two seasons in the I-League with local coaches but won the league when they brought in Singaporean Akbar Nawas.</p>.<p>"We felt that with two Indian coaches, they were not able to command that position. Even with the local players there was a difference in how they approached between Indian and a foreign coach," said Ramesh said.</p>.<p>But that hasn't deterred the club from looking into Indian coaches again. </p>.<p>"This was back around 2016-17. Now there are more coaches. We got no objections to going back to Indian coaches." </p>.<p>The point is respect can be earned.</p>.<p>"Derrick has a point, because the African or South American players may not have gone through a football education like the Europeans. They may not challenge any coach," says Reddy, who also worked as a Technical Director and interim head coach with now-defunct ISL club FC Pune City.</p>.<p>"It's not automatically assumed that foreign coaches are good coaches. There are a lot of coaches in India who have gone out and broadened their horizons, like a Richard Hood. So there is no reason why, when they run their sessions they would not get that respect from the players."</p>.<p>So it goes around, like a hamster wheel - experience for jobs and jobs for experience. </p>.<p>"At least at I-League level if they get opportunities to coach, they need that exposure. Coaches have already proved in ISL that they don't lag behind," feels Pereira.</p>.<p>So what of the I-League? </p>.<p>Since its inception as the top division in 2007-08, Indian coaches and foreign coaches have won seven league titles apiece, including Vincenzo Annese's recent win with Gokulam Kerala FC. Just four of the 11 clubs had Indian coaches this season, one of which is AIFF's development team.</p>.<p>"It’s all about getting the chances," says Jamil, who built his reputation as one of the top Indian coaches during his time in the I-League with Mumbai FC and Aizawl FC.</p>.<p>"I am sure down the line more and more will get the permanent seat. Now it is up to their capability. If given a chance, Indian coaches will compete well with the rest."</p>.<p>He definitely showed they can. The question is of opportunity.</p>
<p>The dust has settled after another season in the Indian Super League season and as the clubs switch focus to the next, the powers of be might just have some thoughts lurking in the corner of their mind. </p>.<p>After all, Khalid Jamil has shown that Indian coaches can mix it up with the big boys, potentially opening a whole new territory. Yes, ultimately the result did not go his way in terms of silverware but with a 10-game unbeaten run that took the unheralded team - that was struggling to find its footing when he took over - into the semifinals, Jamil had done his bit to open a discussion for Indian coaches. </p>.<p>The general narrative flung around is that foreign coaches are superior tactically and as man-managers to their Indian counterparts. Some are, some not - there is evidence for both.</p>.<p>Last season ISL had amended their rules and allowed clubs to hire Indian coaches with an AFC pro license if they so desired. Curiously even as Jamil took over his team and there was no replacement in sight, Jamil's official title remained 'interim head coach'. </p>.<p>"If we had white skin everyone would have taken us (Indian coaches)," says Armando Colaco, who won five league titles between 2004-12 with Dempo SC. "There are coaches capable of coaching at the highest level in India but are the franchises ready to take the chance?" </p>.<p>Well, there is an Indian assistant role in the ISL. Some clubs use it better than others. The spectrum varies with clubs who appoint experienced coaches like Sanjoy Sen (I-League winner with Bagan) and Thangboi Singto (former Shillong Lajong coach) for the role to untested ones like Steven Dias and Ishfaq Ahmed. </p>.<p>"Lot of the coaches who end up in the assistant role, they haven't really coached a senior team in their lives. Are they coaches or ex-players who have happen to have the licenses?" asks Pradhyum Reddy, a reputed coach and one of the leading analyst in Indian football. </p>.<p>"It is tough for the clubs in terms of popularity, they need coaches of repute. It's been a tough journey for us," says Singto, assistant coach of Hyderabad FC. </p>.<p>"Some foreign coaches are accommodating (of our role), like a Rene Mulenstein or Nelo Vingada. But it's high time and we need to find if we are good enough or not? Kitne saal assistant banke rahenge? (How many years will we stay as assistants?)" </p>.<p>People in the know say there are some who are maybe happy with the assistant role. The monetary disparity between the top two divisions is such that it would benefit to be an assistant in the ISL than a head coach in I-League in many cases. There is also the comfort of being away from the pressure. Even when thrust into the limelight in an interim role, the expectation is damage limitation. </p>.<p>"If I were to take up an assistant job in ISL, I want a guide who can groom me. Not all the coaches in ISL are good coaches," says Yan Law, who has already coached Minerva Punjab, Mohammedan Sporting and now Aizawl FC, by the age of 28. He has opted to stay away from the assistant role and, as he says, bet on himself.</p>.<p>When used right, the assistant role is vital. There are clubs like Bengaluru FC who put assistant coach and their B team's coach Naushad Moosa in the hot seat, thinking long term, when they parted ways with Carles Cuadrat mid-way through the season. </p>.<p>"Moosa has gained experience here, preparing training sessions and working with the first team. Now, we can prepare our system below. The transition from youth to senior level takes time because players are overawed. Our thought process was Moosa will now know what is expected of Indian players coming into that level," says Mandar Tamhane, BFC CEO. </p>.<p>By his own admission, Moosa feels he needs 'a year or two more' to take up the head coach role. But admits his learnings will help facilitate talent through the ranks at BFC, a club that, especially in its early years, built its reputation on improving players.</p>.<p>Probably a coach's biggest challenge, especially with the foreign players, is man management. Football has changed, so have the players.</p>.<p>"The quality of players is a lot better in ISL, more Europeans and who are more polished. You have to figure out how to manage players," says Derrick Pereira, technical director at FC Goa and himself a league title winner as a coach back in 2006 with Mahindra United. </p>.<p>"(Back then) it was mostly African and South America players. Man management is different from ISL to I-League." </p>.<p>Even in I-League - the second division - this remains a challenge as Chennai City FC owner Rohit Ramesh found out. The Tamil Nadu outfit went into their first two seasons in the I-League with local coaches but won the league when they brought in Singaporean Akbar Nawas.</p>.<p>"We felt that with two Indian coaches, they were not able to command that position. Even with the local players there was a difference in how they approached between Indian and a foreign coach," said Ramesh said.</p>.<p>But that hasn't deterred the club from looking into Indian coaches again. </p>.<p>"This was back around 2016-17. Now there are more coaches. We got no objections to going back to Indian coaches." </p>.<p>The point is respect can be earned.</p>.<p>"Derrick has a point, because the African or South American players may not have gone through a football education like the Europeans. They may not challenge any coach," says Reddy, who also worked as a Technical Director and interim head coach with now-defunct ISL club FC Pune City.</p>.<p>"It's not automatically assumed that foreign coaches are good coaches. There are a lot of coaches in India who have gone out and broadened their horizons, like a Richard Hood. So there is no reason why, when they run their sessions they would not get that respect from the players."</p>.<p>So it goes around, like a hamster wheel - experience for jobs and jobs for experience. </p>.<p>"At least at I-League level if they get opportunities to coach, they need that exposure. Coaches have already proved in ISL that they don't lag behind," feels Pereira.</p>.<p>So what of the I-League? </p>.<p>Since its inception as the top division in 2007-08, Indian coaches and foreign coaches have won seven league titles apiece, including Vincenzo Annese's recent win with Gokulam Kerala FC. Just four of the 11 clubs had Indian coaches this season, one of which is AIFF's development team.</p>.<p>"It’s all about getting the chances," says Jamil, who built his reputation as one of the top Indian coaches during his time in the I-League with Mumbai FC and Aizawl FC.</p>.<p>"I am sure down the line more and more will get the permanent seat. Now it is up to their capability. If given a chance, Indian coaches will compete well with the rest."</p>.<p>He definitely showed they can. The question is of opportunity.</p>