Analysis: Why Khalid Jamil is the best Indian coach of his generation

The 44-year-old led NorthEast United to their second ISL playoffs last season.

In the current state of Indian football, domestic coaches are yet to get as much recognition as the players. The Indian Super League (ISL) has uplifted many talented players – but are still slowly adapting a platform for the coaches. However, one coach to have broken barriers in Indian football in the last decade is Khalid Jamil.

From managing at the very bottom to the very top, he’s done it all. Be it winning the I-League with Aizawl FC or helping NorthEast United qualify for the ISL playoffs, he’s exceeded expectations on numerous occasions.

Jamil can be called as the ultimate underdog of Indian football. But, a more appropriate phrase would be the best Indian head coach of his generation. Among recent Indian head coaches, he’s definitely the most decorated. So, what makes him so special? Let’s take a look.

Winning mentality

The thing about Khalid Jamil’s teams is that they don’t always play the most ‘attractive’ football. Infact, at times it can be very dull and defensive. He often relies on set-pieces or counter-attacks for goals. Jamil also tries to make his side as defensively resolute as possible, to frustrate opponent teams into making mistakes.

However, his conservative style is because of his mentality. Like any other coach, Jamil hates losing. But, he loves winning more than quite a few others. The 44-year-old would happily take a 1-0 win if that gave his side all three points.

At times, of course, he has to make do with grinding out draws. But, as he proved at Aizawl – where he won 11 out of 18 games in the 2016/17 I-League-winning season – Jamil loves setting up his teams for a slender win. In that campaign, his side scored just 24 goals in 18 games – often securing wins by a one-goal margin.

Last season as NorthEast United's interim coach, he won six out of 11 games in-charge. He was, at one point, unbeaten for 10 games – only losing once to ATK Mohun Bagan. Some of the Highlanders' wins under him were entertaining goalfests and others smart narrow ones.

But, it’s Jamil’s ability to grind out victories with his clever tactics and game management ability that helps him stand out from others. This makes Khalid Jamil the perfect candidate to take over the Highlanders' permanent head coach from next season.

Resourcefulness

What makes Khalid Jamil so special is he’s almost never been given a star-studded squad to work with. He started his managerial career with Mumbai FC – a club which didn’t have the financial power to tussle with the I-League big guns.

Instead, Jamil had to scout players from local leagues and youth academies. Even with Aizawl FC, he chose a side with a very moderate financial situation. Unlike the Kolkata clubs – who boasted some of the best Indian and foreign talents – Jamil had to uncover underrated gems.

He did so exceptionally well. At Aizawl, he gave the likes of Jayesh Rane, Asutosh Mehta, Laldanmawia Ralte, Brandon Vanlalremdika and Lalramchullova the platform for national recognition. Jamil even managed to get the best out of relatively unknown foreigners like Kamo Stephane Bayi, Mahmoud al-Amnah and Eze Kingsley Obumneme.

Even at NorthEast last season, he got the best out of the likes of Lalengmawia, Mehta, VP Suhair to help them manage impressive campaigns. One of the 44-year-old’s biggest strengths is how resourceful he is. Khalid Jamil knows exactly how to get the best out of whatever squad he inherits. That is something not many other Indian head coaches these days can boast of.

Thrives as a grounded underdog

Before coming into management, Jamil was actually a decent player in India. He played for the national team, getting 11 caps. He even won the I-League (then known as the National Football League) during his stint at Mahindra United.

But, even as a hard-working midfielder, he never really got any kind of prominent spotlight. Instead, he loved working in the shadows. So, it’s not surprising that as a head coach, Khalid Jamil also loves playing the role of the ultimate underdog.

He’s already pulled off the underdog story with street-fighting teams so many times in his career. Be it managing top-half finishes with relegation-threatened Mumbai FC or winning the I-League with Aizawl, he’s been the master of the underdogs in Indian football.

Even with NorthEast last season, he pulled off a special story to help them make the playoffs. When he took over, not many predicted the Highlanders to achieve it. But, Jamil inscribed the belief in them to play with a ‘can do’ attitude and excel as the street-fighting side. Jamil’s ability to pull off these special underdog stories makes him really special. It’s also arguably the biggest reason behind him being the best of his generation in India.

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