List of all head coaches of Indian football team

A historical retrospection through the history of Indian football and its tacticians.

Over the almost eight-decade-long history, the Indian football team has witnessed the arrival and departure of a myriad of coaches and played a crucial role in shaping the sport in the country. Each coach has contributed uniquely to the growth and challenges of the national team, through the good and the bad times.

From the early days of Balaidas Chatterjee taking the reins to the contemporary era struggles under Manolo Marquez, the history of Indian football coaching reflects a unique blend of evolving strategies, ideologies, and aspirations.

While not every coach on this list had the pleasure of taking charge as the India boss, some others were vital in shaping the future of the sport in the country.

The history of the coaches that have coached the national team can be traced through these different eras.

The Pioneering Era (1948-1963)

The post-independence era saw the dawn of Indian football under Balaidas Chatterjee, who served from 1948 to 1949. Under Chatterjee, the team participated in the 1948 London Olympics and played their first competitive match against the mighty France. While the team lost narrowly 2-1 to France, it was a momentous occasion and was immortalized by India’s spirited performance.

Following Chatterjee, Syed Abdul Rahim took over the reins and ushered the team to a ‘Golden Age of Indian Football’. Under Rahim’s stewardship between the years of 1950-1963, India achieved historic feats, including winning the 1951 and 1962 Asian Games gold medals. While the team was only able to secure a fourth-place finish in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, Rahim’s contributions to Indian football still remain unmatched.

While Albert Flatley (1954-1955) and Saroj Bose (1954-1955) briefly coached alongside Rahim, none of them were able to bring success like the great coach. While Flatley introduced modern techniques, and Bose provided continuity, none of the players were able to deliver consistent success. Rahim’s departure for a short while did lead to the introduction of two more coaches T Shome (1957-1958) and Sailen Manna (1960-1961), but none succeeded like the legendary coach.

A tough period of transition and experimentation in the Indian football team (1963-1970)

Following Rahim’s untimely demise, Indian football saw a period of transition that witnessed the job turning into a graveyard for aspiring candidates. Managers like Harry Wright (1963-1964) and GM Pentiah (1963-1964) brought different styles, but the team was never able to capture its dominance in the mid-1950s.

While Mohammed Hussain (1964-1967) and SR Daib (1966-1967) focused on rebuilding the squad with fresh faces, the revolving door policy didn’t help with consistency. Jarnail Singh (1968-1969), a legendary defender from the Rahim era of football, briefly took charge but an emphasis on defensive stability didn’t convert to a lot of success.

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The Era of Indian Coaches (1970-1980)

The 1970s saw a rise in Indian coaches with GMH Basha (1970-1971) leading the team multiple times. One of India’s most iconic football personalities, PK Banerjee, coached in three separate stints (1972-1974, 1981-1982, 1985-1986), while emphasizing attacking football, however, was not able to deliver results on the pitch.

While under Sheoo Mewalal (1976-1977) as interim boss, the team’s performances took an upturn, however, he wasn’t retained after a third-place finish at the 1977 King’s Cup. While Arun Ghosh (1978-1979), another former player brought his expertise as a former player, however, was not able to replicate his success at the India U-20 level.

International influence and slow revival (1981-2000)

The immediate era following the 1970s witnessed a mix of domestic and international coaches trying to revive the sport in the country. Bob Bootland (1981-1982) and Joe Kinnear (1983-1984) introduced European methods, while Milovan Ciric (1984-1985) brought in a tactical discipline. Among the standouts from this era was coach Syed Nayeemuddin (1987-1989), who was the first Indian to receive the Dronacharya Award after leading the team to the 1987 South Asian Games gold.

The 1990s saw József Gelei (1990-1992) and Rustam Akramov (1995-1997) trying to revamp the team to no success, while Islam Akhmedov (2001) had a brief stint as the national team boss. Sukhwinder Singh (2001-2002) oversaw India’s LG Cup win, marking another rare success and paved the way for a better future.

Modernization and Professionalism of Indian Football (2002-Present)

The 2000s marked a professional shift in Indian football. Stephan Constantine (2002-2005, 2015-2019) played a key role in restructuring, achieving significant ranking improvements and the 2018 AFC Asian Cup qualification. His successor Bob Houghton (2006-2011) led India to two Nehru Cup victories and the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup title marking a new chapter of progress and success.

In the following years, different coaches like Armando Colaco (2011), Savio Medeira (2011-2012), and Wim Koevermans (2012-2014) struggled with establishing the same level of consistency. A huge moment for Indian football came under coach Igor Stimac (2019-2024), who emphasized youth development in India and qualified India for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.

His successor, Manolo Marquez (2024-present), known for his success in Indian domestic leagues, brings hope of a new era for Indian football. While the transition from Stimac hasn’t found a lot of success in the past year, Marquez will be looking to blend tactical prowess with player development during his tenure.

List of coaches who have taken charge of the Indian Football Team.

• Balaidas Chatterjee (1948-1949)
• Abdul Rahim (1950-1963)
• Albert Flatley (1954-1955)
• Saroj Bose (1954-1955)
• T Shome (1957-1958)
• Sailen Manna (1960-1961) (1967-1968)
• Harry Wright (1963-1964)
• GM Pentiah (1963-1964)
• Mohammed Hussain (1964-1967)
• Sachindranath Mitra (1965-1966)
• SR Daib (1966-1967)
• Jarnail Singh (1968-1969) (1975-1976)
• GMH Basha (1970-1971) (1976-1977) (1979-1980)
• PK Banerjee (1972-1974) (1981-1982) (1985-1986)
• Sheoo Mewalal (1976-1977)
• Arun Ghosh (1978-1979) (1984-1985)
• Bob Bootland (1981-1982)
• Joe Kinnear (1983-1984)
• Milovan Ciric (1984-1985)
• Syed Nayeemuddin (1987-1989) (2005-2006)
• József Gelei (1990-1992)
• Chuni Goswami (1991-1992)
• Derek D’Souza (1992-1993)
• Jiri Pesek (1993-1994)
• Rustam Akramov (1995-1997)
• Islam Akhmedov (2001)
• Sukhwinder Singh (2001-2002)
• Stephan Constantine (2002-2005) (2015-2019)
• Bob Houghton (2006-2011)
• Armando Colaco (2011)
• Savio Medeira (2011-2012)
• Wim Koevermans (2012-2014)
• Igor Stimac (2019-2024)
• Manolo Marquez (2024-Present)

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