Panaji: After experimenting with a foreign coach last season, Sporting Clube de Goa have shown faith in a domestic coach to steer them back into the I-League, now rechristened Indian Football League (IFL).Last season, Sporting had Santiago Fernando Varela as their coach but parted ways after just four matches in I-League 2. Now, they have appointed Dipankur Sharma as the club’s new head coach.An AFC ‘A’ license holder with more than a decade of coaching experience across India’s football pyramid, Sharma arrives in Goa after serving as coach of Chanmari FC in Aizawl, where in an earlier stint he led the club to promotion from I-League 2 to the I-League after only a three-week pre-season.Before returning to Chanmari FC again in IFL, he spent time with Diamond Harbour FC in Kolkata, where he led the reserve side to a runner-up finish in the Calcutta Football League while assisting with the first team.Sporting’s aim this season is to qualify for the IFL, second tier of Indian club football, after two failed attempts where they finished third and seventh in the last two seasons.“He is a coach with a strong work ethic, a clear football philosophy and valuable experience across different levels of the game,” said club director Nathan Vaz. “We believe his approach aligns with our vision for the club and our commitment to developing talented players.”A dual degree holder who also graduated in law and business administration, Sharma was born in Goa and spent part of his early years in the state.“Sporting Clube is a club built on a rich history and a football culture to be proud of. To be given the opportunity to lead a club of this stature is a privilege, but also a responsibility I am determined to repay with hard work, ambition and results,” said Sharma.Sharma is also one of the first Indian coaches to take up a coaching contract abroad, serving as head coach at FutAcademy in Mexico City, where he worked on game-based training methods and started ‘Covid Tactics,’ an initiative to engage and educate players on the tactical side of the game.“We want to develop a clear style of play that the people of Goa will enjoy watching, while maintaining the consistency and competitiveness needed to achieve results on the pitch,” he said.Sporting will be in action in a charity match against Dempo Sports Club at Raia on Sept 12.
