Khalid Jamil has unenviable task ahead in biggest job of his career

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Khalid Jamil it is.

From the 170 applicants that the AIFF received (including false ones from those purporting to be Xavi Hernandez and Pep Guardiola), the federation has finally deemed that Khalid Jamil is the ideal candidate to coach the Indian men's football team. Unlike the process of appointing previous coach Manolo Marquez, the AIFF listened to its own Technical Committee's recommendations this time, and opted for Jamil from a three-man shortlist that also included Stephen Constantine and Stefan Tarkovic.

Notably, Jamil becomes the first Indian coach to take charge of the national team full-time since Savio Medeira's 13-match spell between 2011 and 2012.

What success can Khalid Jamil boast of?

This is Jamil's first international appointment of any kind, with the 49-year-old having only managed in domestic club football. Jamil is one of the rare few to have won India's league title both as a player (with the now-defunct Mahindra United in 2005) and as a manager (with Aizawl in 2016-17). While plenty of coverage was afforded that feat with Aizawl, it was his first managerial role with Mumbai FC that informed Khalid Jamil, the manager. Aizawl was a once-in-a-lifetime fairytale, a Leicester City before Leicester City, but Mumbai FC was the real Jamil deal.

NorthEast went on a brilliant unbeaten run under Khalid Jamil in the second half of the 2020-21 ISL season. Deepak Malik / Sportzpics for ISL

A shoe-string budget, with no expectations apart from survival, Jamil, the youngest coach in the division, gathered a rag-tag group of unheralded players and season-after-season, pulled off dogged results to push the club to heights such as sixth place. His time with Aizawl proved he could evolve into an attacking coach, and that balance was what pushed him to ISL semifinal appearances with NorthEast United and Jamshedpur FC - both teams that didn't have the budget of the big boys of Indian football, but relied on Indian youth. It's what earned him the AIFF's Coach of the Year awards in the last two seasons.

What can we expect from an Indian team coached by Jamil?

At first glance, it may appear that a Khalid Jamil side is going to be well-drilled in defence, compact and more amenable to somewhat 'agricultural' football going forward. For a large part of his career, that's what Khalid Jamil's teams have been. Yet, Jamshedpur FC's 2024-25 season bucks the trend - they had the third-highest xG in the league and the worst xG conceded in the league apart from Hyderabad FC. Even if to many eyes it appeared that Jamshedpur were a 'typical' Jamil team, the underlying numbers prove they decidedly were not.

They conceded 1.59 goals per game on average, and scored 1.52 gpg - these were basketball contests that went from one end to another. By his own admission, Jamil had evolved - giving more freedom to experienced Indian players and foreigners, but also noting that he gave youngsters clear instructions. What was an absolute minimum demand from all his players was they had to work hard - Khalid Jamil does not accept any excuse.

It may be music to the ears of fans (and a certain national team director) that accused the previous Indian national team setup of not working hard enough. Jamil's no-nonsense approach will guarantee a team full of hard-running, but at the international level, that's a bare minimum. Tactically, Jamil has historically kept things simple - 'the players know these days' - is how he describes it, and simply offers a structure within which players have the freedom to function.

The AIFF Executive Committee, in the presence of the Technical Committee, has approved the appointment of Khalid Jamil as the new head coach of the Senior India Men's National Team.#IndianFootball ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/R1FQ61pyr4 - Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) August 1, 2025

India's players looked lost under Manolo Marquez, with perhaps an overdose of information from the Spaniard complicating matters - Jamil's simple approach may work better.

Which players could benefit?

Khalid Jamil gave Apuia Ralte his ISL break, at NorthEast United. Santanu Biswas / Focus Sports / FSDL

As for personnel, Jamil is likely to rely on a midfield gem he himself polished at NEUFC - Apuia and Sandesh Jhingan, a prototypical Jamil footballer whose defensive philosophy is clearance first (Jamshedpur led the league with 714 clearances last season, 166 more than the next highest team). Jamil has never shied away from employing young Indians even in daunting situations, even going so far as boasting of an all-Indian backline in the ISL at times, a scenario usually unheard of - so we can expect plenty of opportunities for India's next crop of national team players.

The best Jamil teams have always employed fast, tricky wingers - and Mo Sanan, his ace winger in Jamshedpur, may finally get a proper look in. The problem still remains up front - Jamil likes his strikers tall and able to hold up play, and India have a dearth of those right now. Whether he will continue the Sunil Chhetri unretirement is unknown, but one would bet on him opting for a fresh new direction for the national team.

What are the potential pitfalls for the Jamil era?

Of Jamil's 16-year managerial career only two failures stand out - that with East Bengal and with Mohun Bagan. It's telling that the introverted coach's most painful moments came under the harsh spotlight and chaos of the Kolkata maidaan. The Indian football team is a similarly poisoned chalice, and whether Jamil's ISL experience can prove an antidote is up for question.

His post-match interviews in the ISL, full of one-word answers, and oft-used non-controversial phrases were a delight to watch for the satire of the spectacle. However, the same may grate after a poor result with the national team. Many expect that the football under Jamil will be functional, and with a very demanding fanbase for a team ranked 133rd in the latest FIFA rankings, it could prove to be a bit of a challenge.

Jamil's immediate remit is a tough one - India face the likes of Iran and Tajikstan and Afghanistan in the CAFA Nations Cup later this month. It is still unclear whether Jamil will complete his duties with Jamshedpur FC at the ongoing Durand Cup (he's contracted with the club until 2026). If he does so, he will have only a week's preparation with the national team. The fixtures against Afghanistan will prove particularly telling, as India failed to beat them over two games in 2024, which ended their hopes of FIFA World Cup qualification (and Igor Stimac's spell in charge). Post that, Jamil faces a double-header against Singapore in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in October, so there's barely any time for him to get up to speed.

Nonetheless, this 49-year-old has always punched above his weight, whether as a player or manager, and if things go to plan, the Jamil era could prove to be a knockout.

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