Kolkata: Twenty-six years after he was a player on a tour of England with the senior men’s football team, Khalid Jamil will be part of another first. This time, he will be in the technical area opposite Thomas Christiansen, Carlo Ancelotti and Diego Forlan as India host Panama, Brazil and Uruguay, all in the top 50 of the FIFA rankings.
So, it fit that in the interview to HT, which began with him stroking his beard, Jamil, 49, would look back as much as he would look forward to the matches that begin with a contest against Panama in Bengaluru on Friday.
“It was a big move. Never thought we would be going to England with the national team,” said Jamil over a video call from Bengaluru.
India played Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and the Bangladesh national team in 2000, their first tour to the country where organised football was birthed. For Jamil that was a “stepping stone.”
“Diet, how to prepare for matches, the importance of pre-seasons, of not being overawed…there were a lot of things we learnt on that tour. Now, players are much more informed.”
That showed when India played Jamaica and Zimbabwe in the Unity Cup this year, he said, referring to the full-circle moment of returning to England as head coach.
{{/usCountry}}That showed when India played Jamaica and Zimbabwe in the Unity Cup this year, he said, referring to the full-circle moment of returning to England as head coach.
{{/usCountry}}The tour of 2000 also made Jamil realise the importance of playing friendlies against stronger teams. “It is a pleasure to play against stronger teams. The more you do that, the more you will improve. And it is even better that we are playing at home against such strong teams.
“For the players, this is a good chance to show that they can take responsibility and stay united,” he said.
Ranked 138th in the world, India will have a chance to do all that against teams who are 44th (Panama), fifth (Brazil) and 20th (Uruguay) and who were part of the 2026 World Cup.
The preparation for the Unity Cup was far from ideal with seven Mohun Bagan Super Giant players not travelling after reporting to Bengaluru for the preparatory camp because the tournament didn’t start in the FIFA window.
“We were forced into making changes suddenly. Some players went without training. And yet, if you see the games, they were not one-sided.” India lost 0-2 to Jamaica and 0-1 to Zimbabwe.
This time, there are no such complaints, at least in terms of players being available. Barring defender Ricky Haobam, who was injured and replaced by Mehtab Singh, all 26 in his original list have reported. A number of them though did not have games in their legs because their clubs skipped the Durand Cup. Jamil knew this would happen—national team coaches tend to depend on players they trust given that time is always at a premium for them—and had planned for it.
“All the players I called are in good shape. I reached out to them one month before naming the squad stressing on the importance of staying fit. As I have said earlier, players of this generation know how to look after themselves. And we have got enough time in this camp. Match fitness is not up to the mark for some but that happens early in the season.”
Among the players Jamil has called is India youth international Som Kumar, a 21-year-old goalkeeper playing in Slovenia for the past two seasons. “He is a good, talented boy who has improved since going to Slovenia. We are looking for this type of player. We need them.”
Kumar would be fourth in the pecking order in a list that has Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Prabhsukhan Singh Gill and Albino Gomes but his inclusion is part of the squad rebuild Jamil is attempting. He has left out regulars such as Sandesh Jhingan, Liston Colaco, Rahul Bheke and Jeakson Singh even though they have had more game time than many of the players he has called.
“We are building a new, solid team. So, there will be some changes. I think this is the correct time to change. And it is not like we will not call them again,” said Jamil, looking into the camera with his game face on.
In a conversation peppered with “let’s stay positive” and “no negative vibes, please”, it was also the only time that Jamil jumped into an answer before the question was finished.
This process of rebuilding could continue through the away friendlies against New Zealand and, depending on the importance All India Football Federation accords to it, in the SAFF Championship both of which are in November, said Jamil.