ISL 2020-21: NorthEast United's Khalid Jamil tests positive for COVID-19

The assistant coach of the Highlanders is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Goa.

NorthEast United’s assistant coach and head of academy, Khalid Jamil has tested positive for COVID-19. The former India international tested positive upon arriving in Goa for the upcoming season and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in the state. The club released an official statement on the 15th of October, confirming the news. The official statement also revealed that his condition is currently stable.

“After testing positive for COVID-19, assistant coach Khalid Jamil is presently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Goa. This is a precautionary measure and his current condition is stable. We expect that he will be discharged from the hospital soon,” read the club statement.

The Highlanders’ assistant coach initially cleared all his tests prior to leaving for Goa, but was tested positive for the virus upon arriving. Khalid Jamil is a former Indian international who has made 47 appearances for the national team. As a coach, he has managed the likes of Aizawl FC as well as East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. Khalid Jamil won the I League with Aizawl in the 2016-17 season.

He was appointed as the assistant coach of the Highlanders for the 2019-20 season, but ended the campaign as the interim head coach of the team after then head coach Robert Jarni was sacked towards the end of the term due to the team's poor performances.

Following NorthEast United's hiring of Gerard Nus as their new head coach for the upcoming season, Jamil went back to being the assistant coach of the club.

With the new season, not so far away, the players and coaches have started arriving in Goa, where all the matches of the ISL are going to be held due to the pandemic.

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