AIFF Coaching Seminar kicks-off in Navi Mumbai

The first-ever AIFF Coaching Seminar kicked-off in Navi Mumbai today with 65 participants coming to listen to Technical Director Rob Baan, National Coach Wim Koevermans, Technical Director of the Regional and Elite Academies Scott O'Donell besides AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das and former India Captain Baichung Bhutia.

Amongst the 65 participants there are numerous former players around; players whom we all have adored over the years. There's Prasanta Banerjee, there's Godfrey Pereira, there's Tanumoy Basu, there's Khalid Jamil, there's Syed Sabir Pasha, there's Savio Medeira, there's Aqueel Ansari, there's Noushad Moosa… the list just seems to have no end.

The aim of the Seminar is to produce better coaches and players with a 'match related approach'.

AIFF Technical Director Rob Baan conducted the first session of the Seminar, his 'Vision to develop Indian Football'. That was followed by National Coach Wim Koevermans' session in the afternoon – 'What is Football?' while Baan’s practical session, 'Coaching, the Match related Approach,' stayed the last session of the day.

The India Under-17 National squad who trains at the Centre of Excellence in Goa and has come over to Navi Mumbai to take part in the practical sessions stayed Baan's wards as the Technical Director demonstrated the 'Match Related Approach' and had interactive sessions with the Coaches.

Earlier, AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das welcomed the guests and spoke on the ‘Long-term future of Indian Football', while guest speaker former India Captain Baichung Bhutia shared his experiences.

"It's imperative we all understand the future philosophy of Indian football," Das said. "The Seminar stays a significant step taken by our Technical Team as we need to look forward," he added.

"Coach Education stays perhaps the most significant aspect if we are to create an Indian style of play as we have intended," Baan stressed.

"To improve the standard of the football in the country, we need to select the best players. But prior to that, we need to train and groom them. We as Coaches stay responsible for that," O'Donell, who will be conducting both theoretical and practical sessions in the next four days, emphasized.

The theoretical sessions are being held at the Royal Orchid Hotel in Navi Mumbai while the practical sessions at the Father Agnel ground, where the first AIFF Regional Academy is based.

National Coach Wim Koevermans maintained the Seminar gives one an opportunity to 'express himself'.

"The next five-days are important. The philosophy needs to be understood by all," Koevermans, who was a part of the Dutch squad which win the 1988 European Cup, opined.

"Let's not stay stuck in the 60s and the 70s. Let's embrace the new concepts," Baichung commented. "From my experience, I have starved for the right kind of training for long. This initiative by AIFF is an excellent one. It's the right beginning," he added.


The list of participants

Godfrey Pereira, Noushad Moosa, Kundan Chandran, Shaikh Arshad Hussain, Abdul Azim Siddique, Nirvan Shah, Aqueel Ansari, Khalid Jamil, Raghuvir Pravin Khanolkar, Augusto D'Silva, Faruk Ahmed, Mohammed Yusuf Ansari (all Maharashtra); Birbal Singh, Ekendra Singh, Bitan Singh (all Manipur); R. Thyagraj, Stanley Rozario, Thomas Joseph, John Kenneth Raj, Mastan Ahmed, P. Muralidharan (all Karnataka), Prasanta Banerjee, Gautam Ghosh (both West Bengal), Parthasarathy Thulasi, Syed Sabir Pasha, C.M. Ranjith (all Tamil Nadu); S. Geevarghese, C.J. Charles, P.M. Saji, Biby Thomas, Satheevan Balan, Feroz Sheriff, Narayana Menon (all Kerala); William Koso (Nagaland); Maymol Rocky, Marcus Anthony Pachecho, Francisco Bruto da Costa, Jude Barreto, Savio Medeira, Mario Aguiar (all Goa), Tarun Roy, Anadi Baruah (both Delhi); Sajid Yusuf, Hilal Parray (both J&K); Surinder Singh (Chandigarh)

Coaches from Clubs/Academies: Tanumoy Basu (Pailan Arrows); Bino George (Chirag United Kerala), Arun Pratap (Chirag United Kerala Academy); Deepak (Kerala FA Academy); Sujay Sharma, Arata Izumi (both Pune FC); Ahmed Aslam Khan (SAI, Bangalore); Mathew D'Costa, Gavin Araujo (both Dempo); Augustine Antao, Joaquim Crasto (both Salgaocar); Suren Chhetri, Pranai Subba (both United Sikkim FC); Richard Hood (Tata Football Academy); Manoj Kumar (SEPT, Calicut); Pradyuman Reddy (Shillong Lajong FC); Sunil Chaudhury, Cetano Pinho (both ONGC); Ajit Braich (Canada)