India Bids Goodbye to Football Coach

Oct 07, 2014 Tushita Sports 0

Indian football team coach Wim Koevermans on Monday stepped down from the post soon after the country suffered a defeat in an international friendly, here.

After India lost to Palestine 3-2 and before the All India Football Federation (AIFF) could make it official, Koevermans declared in the post-match presentation ceremony that that he would not continue as coach of the Indian national team. He confirmed that it was his last as Indian coach.

“This was my last match as the coach of the national team and I will not be taking up the post of AIFF’s Technical Director for personal reasons,” he said.

Koevermans’ contract was till the end of this month. The former Holland international also said he wouldn’t take up the offer of being the technical director.

That the decision was already conveyed to the team before the match was evident when they lined up to present Koevermans with a Guard of Honour, after losing 2-3 to Palestine.

Compared to the rousing reception he had got after guiding India to the 2012 Nehru Cup win in his first assignment, this was a low-key affair.

Koevermans’ contract as the national coach with AIFF ends on October 31, 2014.

“When I took charge I was told to change the style of play and there has been a huge improvement on that front. We created chances in every match that we played and played some good football. But that hasn’t been enough,” he stated.

Between then and now, India failed to qualify for the AFC Challenge Cup, finished runners-up in the 2013 SAFF Cup, didn’t get past the group stage in the Asian Games and won only two of the eight friendlies.

“My job wasn’t easy because they asked me to change the style of play. We made improvements in playing combination football. The performance was good but not enough to improve.”

The problems in the game:

Koevermans then listed the problems that remain. “Real improvement lies in the development of the youth competitions. Right now, the under-19 competition is only for two months. We have to stretch it out for 8-9 months and also do it for the under-15 and under-17 categories. We also have to improve the I-League,” he said.

“For years, there was no licensing system and clubs looked the other way. There were no academies and no proper competition. We need good coaches,” said Koevermans. “I enjoyed every day in India, though. The players changed their style. In the SAFF Cup, we played a good semi-final and final, even though we lost,” said Koevermans when asked to look back on his India stint.

Koevermans also said it won’t be an easy job for his successor. “My successor will face the same problems. Next year the September, October and November Fifa windows will not be friendlies but qualifying matches for different competitions. That could make it even more difficult. Hopefully, the Indian Super League will do some good. But it’s just two months long. We need to have a full-stretched league over the year.”

National team captain Sunil Chhetri described the phase under the Dutchman as a “great journey.”

AFC, Indian Football Coach, Indian football team, Sports, Wim Koevermans

Congress Criticises Shashi Tharoor for Praising Modi Smoking can led you to Emphysema

Tushita

Tushita is a political writer at thenational.net. Her deep rooted interest in politics, passion for writing and craze for travelling define her. Writing since her school days, she aspires to write lifelong and make the world a happier place to live with the power of her pen.