New Delhi: Khalid Jamil, newly appointed head coach of the Indian national football team, is set to conduct his first training camp on August 15 in Kolkata, as he prepares to take charge of the Blue Tigers for the next two years. The 48-year-old will part ways with Indian Super League (ISL) side Jamshedpur FC, with the club expected to name an interim coach to lead them in the upcoming season.
Jamil’s appointment marks a significant milestone—he is the first Indian to take up the role full-time since Sukhvinder Singh in 2005, breaking nearly two decades of foreign dominance in the position. In the past, Indian coaches like Armando Colaco and Savio Medeira have only served in interim capacities. Medeira was the last Indian to hold the job, from 2011 to 2012.
A highly respected figure in Indian football, Jamil famously guided Aizawl FC to their historic I-League title in 2017. His selection was made by the AIFF Technical Committee, chaired by Indian legend IM Vijayan, from a shortlist that included former India coach Stephen Constantine and ex-Slovakia boss Stefan Tarkovic. The role had been vacant since Igor Štimac’s successor, Marquez, stepped down following a poor run of results.
Jamil’s first major assignment will be to lead India in the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup, starting August 29. India will open their campaign against Tajikistan in Dushanbe, before facing Iran on September 1 and Afghanistan on September 4 in Uzbekistan.
With his first camp just days away, Jamil is finalising a shortlist of players as he looks to stamp his identity on the national squad and usher in a new era for Indian football.
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