Thangboi Singto joins Hyderabad FC as assistant coach

The 46-year-old has penned a long-term deal ahead of the 2020-21 season.

Indian Super League side Hyderabad FC have appointed highly experienced coach Thangboi Singto as the Senior team Assistant Coach and Technical Director (Youth), the club announced on Friday. The 46-year-old Manipuri coach has penned a long-term deal with the club as he joins Manolo Marquez’s staff ahead of the upcoming ISL season.

“I am very excited to join Hyderabad FC because it provides me a strong challenge. The Club’s vision is what attracted me to take up this role. The opportunity to work with club owner Varun Tripuraneni again was another important factor for me since we have done some good work before in Kerala as well. We have stepped into a new era and we have strong plans in place as we aim to build a robust structure,” said Thangboi Singto after completing formalities.

Hyderabad FC co-owner Varun Tripuraneni said, “I have worked with Thangboi before and his vast experience of working in different set-ups across the country is very valuable. He has a fantastic record of working with young talent and he fits in perfectly into the role here with our club’s vision to build a strong youth development structure. We have a long-term partnership with Borussia Dortmund with a heavy focus on youth and we’re hoping to see things take shape soon.”

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Thangboi began his coaching career at former I-League side Shillong Lajong in 2009 as an assistant coach before taking over the reins in 2013. A brief stint with NorthEast United saw him work alongside Ricki Herbert in the inaugural season on the ISL.

In the Indian Super League, Thangboi has worked as the Assistant Coach and Technical Director for Youth at Kerala Blasters (2017-19) before joining Odisha FC as their Assistant Coach for the 2019-20 season.

A person who can speak in multiple Indian languages, Thangboi will be an important figure in the squad especially for the vast number of young talent in the side. “As a club, our aim is to provide opportunities to talented youngsters, and finding and honing them is our primary goal. We aim to have a strong foundation for our club going into the future and hope that we are able to achieve that. I want to give my best and contribute towards the overall development of the football club,” he added.