NorthEast United have appointed Khalid Jamil as the team’s head coach ahead of the upcoming Indian Super League season making him the first-ever Indian head coach to be handed charge of the team on a permanent basis in the league’s history.
Jamil guided the Highlanders to the semi-finals after taking over in an interim capacity from Gerard Nus and oversaw a remarkable turn in fortunes.
Khalid Jamil’s coaching template: Building a strong defence, micromanaging players, no switching off
The club made his appointment permanent on Saturday.
The ISL has seen Indian coaches take charge of teams but only on a temporary basis. Jamil who will be the first Indian head coach of the team will look to build a strong case for his compatriots to be trusted with the big jobs in the ISL.
Jamil is an experienced campaigner in Indian football having coached the likes of Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. His biggest success story though came at Aizawl FC where he scripted one of the most remarkable underdog stories in Indian football, guiding the Mizoram club to the I-League win in 2017.
He had previously coached Mumbai FC for seven years keeping the club afloat in the top division despite a shoestring budget.
Under Jamil, NorthEast United will look to be among the regulars in the semi-finals and hope to reach their first final in the competition.
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