Former NothEast United reserve coach Subham Rabha set to lead Sreenidi Deccan reserve team

Sreenidi Deccan aims to secure the top position in the I-League.

Former NorthEast United FC (NEUFC) reserve head coach Subham Rabha, the first “AFC A” license coach from Assam, is all set to join the I-League club Sreenidi Deccan Football Club as the reserve team head coach and head of youth development. The official announcement is expected in the next few days.

On 31st May this year, the Indian Super League (ISL) club NorthEast United and Subham Rabha mutually parted ways after working together for more than 10 years.

Sreenidi Deccan finished second in the points table with 48 points, four points behind the league winners, Mohammedan Sporting Club, in I-League 2023-24. The club won 14 matches, drew six, and lost four in the second-tier football competition in India. In the last three games, they drew against Neroca and Inter Kashi football clubs, which ended their dream of becoming I-League champions for the first time.

Subham Rabha’s journey

Subham has been coaching young talent from the region for more than 10 years.  In 2012, Subham sustained a serious knee injury while playing in the Pilik Choudhary Inter-District football tournament. The injury deteriorated because he continued to play without proper medical assistance and rehabilitation and Subham Rabha’s dream of becoming a professional footballer ended.

However, his passion for football remained strong. He started coaching football in a Guwahati school and later completed the AIFF Grassroots Leader coaching course. Around this time, NorthEast United FC arrived in Guwahati, and the ISL club appointed Subham as their grassroots coach.

He was later entrusted with the responsibility of coaching the U-13, U-15, and U-18 teams. Eventually, he was appointed as the reserve team coach from 2021 to 2023. From 2023, he served as the Head of Youth Development for one year.

Under his coaching, NorthEast United FC played in the second season of the Reliance Foundation Development League, where they were undefeated in the regional stages and qualified for the National group level. There they lost against ATK Mohun Bagan, 2-1 which stopped their further journey in the competition.

He also coached the reserve team in the 2023 Durand Cup. The reserve team failed to impress the home crowd, losing three games against Odisha, Kerala Blasters, and Army Green, while winning one game against Sudeva Delhi FC.

Subham Rabha also coached the Assam Football Team that participated in the Santosh Trophy 2023-24. Under his guidance, the team advanced to the main draw of the Santosh Trophy after 14 years and reached the quarterfinals, making the state football team eligible to participate in the next National Games after 16 years.

This year, Sreenidi Deccan FC signed Roly Bonevacia, a defensive midfielder, Seilenthang Lotjem from Mumbai City FC on loan, Panamanian winger Angel Gabriel Orelien Gonzalez, who joins from the French Ligue 2 side Dunkerque, and midfielder Ajay Chhetri for the 2024-25 season.

The club is aiming for the top spot in the next I-League season and hopes to be promoted to the ISL, which they narrowly missed in the previous season.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.