THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With chances far and few between for Indian football coaches to find employment with Indian Super League (ISL) clubs, former national team gaffer Savio Medeira has urged qualified local coaches to look abroad.
“What ISL organisers want is a marquee manager, a foreigner, to project the image of Indian football. But, for our coaches to improve, I would tell them to go out and see how things work,” he said on Saturday on the sidelines of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) C Licence certificate course at SAI-LNCPE here.
“Outside of India, there are a lot of opportunities. We try to look and work for them. I know some coaches who are working in the Gulf region and doing well,” said Medeira, who is an AFC Pro Licence holder and instructor.
Though the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is conducting more coach-certification courses, Medeira felt that there is need for a system to monitor those who clear them. “The number has increased from 10 to 12 a month. But, it is nothing compared to Iran that conducts 60 AFC courses every month. The more coaches we develop, the more players we will produce.”
However, Medeira pointed out that the one thing that Indian coaches lack is the power of observation. “Our coaches just watch where the ball is and do not see what is happening in other parts,” said the instructor.
“Though the quality of coaches has increased, state associations have to pass on the message to their coaches to be serious. One way is to have a technical director,” Medeira explained.
adwaidh@newindianexpress.com