Of New ‘Challenges’ and Reaching ‘Next Levels’ – Khalid Jamil Starts FC Bengaluru United Reign

A few eyebrows were raised across the country when Khalid Jamil was announced as the head coach for Indian football’s third division side FC Bengaluru United. And not without reason. The man has an enviable managerial record across the top divisions.

Not only is he the first Indian to helm the top job at an ISL team, NorthEast United FC in the 2021-22 season, he was also the first Indian coach to qualify for the ISL playoffs the season prior as the interim. He had even made headline in the 2016-17 season when he led an unheralded Aizawl FC to their first I-League title and then going onto to work with Kolkata giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan – with albeit varying success.

Jamil, who was born in Kuwait to Indian parents, represented clubs such as Mahindra United, Air India, and Mumbai FC – in fact, going onto the manage the latter from 2009 to 2015.

So, working with smaller teams with limited budgets is nothing new for the 45-year-old.

When asked about the rationale behind his move down the football pyramid, Khalid talked about challenges and next levels.

“Yeah, it is a big challenge for me and for the club to them to the next level. It is a challenge and everybody must work hard for the team,” Khalid told News18.com in an exclusive interaction.

On being prodded further if thoughts of ‘I am too big for this’ or ‘am I going back in my career’ come to his mind, the answer was a resounding “no” and it is something that he is “looking forward” to, even though the appointment is for just the next year.

Up next for Khalid is choosing the right personnel to join in his quest for I-League qualification, players who are “correct”.

“Otherwise, it will be task for us”.

The All India Football Federation will hold a league tournament with home and away, as opposed to the I-League qualifiers that were staged for the past two seasons due to the pandemic, from next season.

When asked whether it will be easy or hard for FC Bengaluru United, given they had narrowly missed out in previous seasons, Khalid says that the team had been unlucky” and this time around they “will take every game at one time.”