Indians will, for the first time ever, be allowed to coach teams in the Indian Super League from next season, according to a report in The Times of India.
The football tournament, which has gained steady popularity in the country over the years, has only had foreign coaches since it came on to the scene in 2014. However, an official circular has now been sent to all the clubs, stating the criteria that Indian coaches have to meet to be eligible to take full charge of ISL teams.
There are three factors:
1] The coach must have a Pro License.
2] The coach must have spent at least two years with the club and 16 matches on the bench.
3] The coach must have managed a top division team in the past.
India currently has 14 coaches with a Pro License, but not all of them meet the other two criteria.
In fact, there are just two Indians who can make the cut at the moment – FC Goa technical director Derrick Pereira and Kerala Blasters FC assistant coach Thangboi Singto.
Up until now, ISL has only had famous ex-international footballers as coaches, like Roberto Carlos, Gianluca Zambrotta, Zico, Marco Materazza, David Platt and Steve Coppell. However, if this the suggested change takes place next season, it will surely be a major boost for Indian football as a whole.