Indian football is at a crossroads. Every time the national team underperforms, the first reaction is to look for a foreign coach. The logic is simple: international coaches bring experience, knowledge, and exposure to global football standards. But is this really helpful in the long run for Indian football? Or should we start trusting our own coaches?

According to the AIFF Vision 2047, India’s goal is to create a unique playing philosophy and a strong grassroots system. The question is: can foreign coaches help us achieve this, or does the real solution lie within India?

Why International Coaches Are Not Always the Answer

Foreign coaches come with international experience, but they often lack understanding of Indian culture, player mentality, and ground realities. Most of them stay for a short tenure and leave without building a long-term system. This makes it difficult to create a sustainable playing philosophy.

For example, coaches like Stephen Constantine (England) helped India improve FIFA rankings and win the Intercontinental Cup, but his style was mostly defensive and not suited for a long-term attacking philosophy. Igor Štimac, from Croatia, was expected to bring European standards, but India struggled against Asian mid-level teams.

The problem is consistency. Foreign coaches work for results during their contract period; they rarely invest in developing Indian coaching infrastructure or nurturing local talent.

The Golden Era Under an Indian Coach

If history is our teacher, the answer is clear: Indian coaches can transform Indian football. The biggest example is Syed Abdul Rahim, who led India during the 1950s and early 60s.

Rahim built India’s identity in football and is known as the architect of modern Indian football. He is credited with introducing a “total football” style approach to the game in India, decades before the term became widely known in world football

He introduced tactical discipline and modern strategies when very few Asian teams understood them. Under him:

• India reached the 1956 Melbourne Olympics semi-final, the only Asian team to do so at the time.
• We won the Asian Games Gold in 1951 and 1962.
• The world called India the “Brazil of Asia” because of our free-flowing attacking style.

Rahim believed in developing players from Indian conditions, using their strengths instead of copying European styles. This shows that when an Indian coach is given trust and time, the results can be historic.

Why Indian Coaches Matter Today

To build a strong football culture, we need coaches who understand Indian players—physically, mentally, and socially. Only Indian coaches can:

• Work with grassroots players without language or cultural barriers.
• Build a style that suits Indian conditions, not just replicate European tactics.
• Stay longer in the system and create continuity, something foreign coaches rarely do.

Who Can Lead Indian Football Now

India already has experienced coaches who can take this responsibility:

• Clifford Miranda – Former FC Goa coach, won the ISL League Winners’ Shield as interim manager. He is currently the assistant manager for Mumbai City FC.
• Khalid Jamil – Known for his success with Aizawl FC, winning the I-League with limited resources. He is currently the manager at Jamshedpur FC
• Bibiano Fernandes – Successful at the youth level, winning the SAFF U-16 Championship multiple times. He is currently the India U19 manager.

If these coaches are given responsibility early, they will grow and inspire a new generation of Indian coaches. This can create a chain reaction, where local coaches dominate the system, just like Japan and South Korea have done.

Good and Bad of International Coaches

Good:

• Exposure to modern tactics and training methods.
• Networking with international football bodies.

Bad:

• Expensive and short-term approach.
• No cultural understanding of Indian players.
• No sustainable development of Indian coaching structure.

The Road Ahead for AIFF and Indian Football

The AIFF Vision 2047 talks about creating an Indian playing philosophy. This cannot happen if we keep depending on foreign coaches for quick results. Instead, we should:

• Invest in Indian coaches with advanced training and certifications.
• Give them responsibility at the senior level early.
• Build a domestic football identity that suits Indian strengths.

History has shown us the way with Syed Abdul Rahim. If we trust our own people, India can rise again and maybe one day we get an even better title than the “Brazil of Asia.”