In large, prominent letters on a piece of chart paper, the word "Believe" was affixed to the wall situated between the changing room and the coaches' area at AFC Richmond, a notable feature throughout the first three seasons of "Ted Lasso."

Khalid Jamil stands in stark contrast to the Kansas football coach depicted in the series, yet both share a remarkable ability to inspire their teams to embrace the significance of that seven-letter word. While Lasso successfully kept Richmond from relegation, Jamil adeptly positioned Pronay Halder as a center-back and extended the careers of seasoned players like 35-year-olds Javi Hernandez and Pratik Chaudhari, as well as 34-year-old Ashutosh Mehta, who returned to the sport after a two-year suspension, and Albino Gomes, who made his comeback through the I-League following an injury. Additionally, he has nurtured the talents of 20-year-old Mohammed Sanan, a product of the Reliance Foundation Young Champs.

Even prior to Thursday's impressive victory, Jamil had demonstrated the tactical acumen and managerial skills necessary to thrive at this level. One could even argue that his influence was evident in how Bengaluru FC managed to stifle FC Goa's performance in the midfield on Wednesday.

A rare thing

The presence of a head coach or manager from the United States in the Premier League is exceedingly uncommon, much like an Indian leading a team in the Indian Super League (ISL). Bob Bradley's tenure at Swansea City lasted just 11 matches, while Jesse Marsch managed 32 games at Leeds United. The longest duration among American coaches was David Wagner's 62-game period at Huddersfield Town, according to Transfermarkt.

Jamil, the first Indian head coach in the ISL, stands alone in his achievement of reaching the play-offs, having accomplished this feat twice. At the beginning of ISL11, he and Thangboi Singto were the only Indian head coaches. During a pre-season media event in Kolkata, Jamil humorously remarked, “Aap nazar mat lagana,” indicating his desire to avoid any misfortune.

Kerala Blasters appointed TG Purushothaman, Mohammedan Sporting brought in Mehrajuddin Wadoo, and East Bengal selected Bino George to lead their teams, but only after the departure or dismissal of foreign coaches. Hyderabad FC opted to replace Singto with Shameel Chembakath.

The support staff situation

One reason clubs have hesitated to hire Indian head coaches is the challenge of securing adequate support staff, a concern highlighted in 2022 by HT. However, the situation has evolved. Jamil has successfully built an all-Indian support team at Jamshedpur FC, leading them to the semi-finals. In a conversation with Ishfaq Ahmed, the coach of Real Kashmir expressed his confidence in forming his own support staff as well.

During an interview with Mukul Choudhari, CEO of Jamshedpur FC, where Jamil was also present, I inquired about this issue. He responded, “There will now be increased self-belief among various teams and Indian support staff. This development will create new opportunities. Although that was not the initial goal, it is a positive outcome.”

This shift indicates that clubs may now consider Indian coaches, particularly those who have recently obtained their AFC Pro Licence diplomas. India boasts 46 such coaches, with 26 having achieved their qualifications in the past two years. Each time Jamil leads a team deep into the ISL, he champions the talents of his fellow compatriots, including Steven Dais, Renedy Singh, Ahmed, and Clifford Miranda. If more clubs place their trust in Indian coaches, it is possible that one of them could eventually lead the national team. Further information about Jamil can be found here and here.

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