Khalid Jamil
Khalid Ahmed Jamil (born 21 April 1977) is an Indian professional football manager and former player who is the current head coach of Indian Super League club NorthEast United. He is the first Indian permanent head coach of an ISL team and the only Indian coach to qualify for the ISL playoffs. Jamil spent most of his playing career at Mahindra United, Air India and Mumbai. He subsequently went into a career of football management after an early retirement in 2009 due to injuries. He managed several top-flight Indian football clubs like Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Aizwal , Mumbai and NorthEast United. Early career. Jamil was born on 21 April 1977 in Kuwait City, Kuwait to Indian parents. While in Kuwait, Jamil went to an under-14 camp and met Michel Platini who was then the France national football team's coach. Ever since Platini has been Jamil's favorite player. He then moved to India later and got offered a contract from East Bengal and Mohun Bagan but rejected them as they were sponsored by an alcohol company. Club career. Jamil started his professional career with Mahindra United of the National Football League in 1997 but did not  play during the 1997–98 season and left for Air India in 1998. During the 2000–01 season Jamil made his first professional appearances with Air India and reportedly got an offer to join a football club from Brunei but rejected the offer, which he still regrets. He then went back to Mahindra United in 2002 but barely played due to many injuries which eventually led to early retirement. He then joined Mumbai in 2007 but did not play a single game with them during his two years with the club. In 2009 Jamil announced his retirement. International career. Jamil made his  international debut in a friendly match against Uzbekistan in 1998. He represented the India national team in 12 matches. Managerial career. Mumbai. After retiring from playing, Jamil went straight into management and started with his last playing club Mumbai of the I-League in 2009. Mumbai managed to finsh at 11th in the table, over relegation zone in the 2009–10 I-League, regarded as a great outcome considering the limited financial resources at his disposal. Jamil led Mumbai to 7th in 2010–11 I-League, and back-to-back 6th placed finishes in 2014-15 and 2015-16, keeping the club  in the top-flight for straight seven seasons while lacking financial back-up. Aizwal. On 1 January 2017, Jamil was appointed as the head coach of Aizawl. He led the club to 2016–17 I-League title while scripting history as the first club from Northeast India to win the Indian title. East Bengal. After the title-winning season with Aizawl, Jamil joined East Bengal as the head coach on 1 July 2017 ahead of the 2017–18 I-League season won a record breaking ₹12.5 million deal, making him the then highest paid Indian coach in the history of India 's top-tier leagues. Mohun Bagan. On 7 January 2019, Jamil joined Mohun Bagan as the head coach, succeeding Sankarlal Chakraborty for the remainder of the season. NorthEast United. On 19 June 2019, Jamil was appointed as head of the academy and assistant coach of the Indian Super League club NorthEast United on a three-year deal. Towards the end of 2019–20 Indian Super League season, NorthEast United dismissed head coach Robert Jarni and appointed Jamil as interim for remaining matches. Jamil was handed over the interim role again in the 2020–21 season after head coach Gerard Nus parted ways  with club mid-season NorthEast United went on a ten-game unbeaten run under him and advanced to 2020–21 Indian Super League playoffs, only for the second time in club's history, and Jamil became the first Indian coach to reach the ISL playoffs. On 23 October 2021, Jamil was appointed as the head coach of NorthEast United, making him the first Indian permanent head coach of an ISL club. Under his guidance, NorthEast began its 2021–22 Indian Super League campaign on 20 November with a 4–2 loss to Bengaluru FC.