HFC go into new season with all-Indian staff

Hyderabad: The Yellow and Black went into their opening league game in Bengaluru with a bench that was filled with young guns getting a taste of their first ISL action, not just among the players, but also among the support and technical Hyderabad FC staff.

After scripting history by becoming the first team to win an Indian Super League game with an all-Indian contingent, Hyderabad FC have kicked off their new season, hoping to build on it.

Coach Thangboi Singto is equipped with a technical team, a medical team, and support staff, some of whom have enormous experience while some are kick-starting their ISL journey.

The 50-year-old Head Coach is himself one of the most experienced coaches in the Indian football circuit.

He started his coaching career back in 2009, wining the Shillong Premier League three years on the trot. He has been with the Highlanders, Odisha FC and Kerala Blasters, recruiting and training some of the finest talents the country has produced.

Coach Thangboi has been with the Nawabs since 2020, was a part of the title-winning squad as the Assistant Manager in 2022 and has been involved in the ups and downs the club has seen in the last few years.

He is now the Head Coach at the club for the second year running and the leader of the pack at Hyderabad, and here is an introduction to his all-Indian Hyderabad FC staff for the 2024-25 ISL campaign:

🧑‍🏫 pic.twitter.com/8fMrV4hq4h

— Hyderabad FC (@HydFCOfficial) September 18, 2024

Shameel Chembakath (Malappuram, Kerala) – Indian Assistant Coach | Instagram

A former Subroto Cup winner as a player, Coach Shameel is already a popular figure among the Hyderabad faithful. He joined the club in 2020 season as the Head Coach of the reserve side and assembled a bunch of youngsters, most of who are now playing in the top flight of Indian football. He has been around Indian football in over a decade, has worked with Coach Thangboi for over half a decade and will be the brains behind a lot of things happening at HFC.

Pushpendra Singh (Delhi) – Strength & Conditioning Coach | Instagram

One of the most exciting additions to the squad roster at Hyderabad is S&C coach Pushpendra. Having spent time in Indian football with Rajasthan United in the I-League and with Delhi’s Santosh Trophy Team, the 28-year-old joins HFC as a part of POB, an S&C service company for some of the top athletes in the country. Having helped sports clubs and individual players in their S&C and rehab needs, Pushpendra will be incharge of everything needed to keep the squad fit and raring for the 2024-25 campaign.

Luis Mario Aguiar (Diwar, Goa) – Goalkeeping Coach | Instagram

Another, massively experienced presence in the back end for Hyderabad is coach Mario Aguiar. Having played for Dempo, SESA and Churchill in his professional career, Coach Mario became a coach soon after and has since been serving Indian football in more ways than one. He has been with the youth sides of the National Team for almost a decade and was the GK coach of the U17 Indian side that featured in the FIFA U17 World Cup in 2017. He is an A-licensed coach, has worked with the Sports Authority of Goa, is a coach instructor with AIFF for D & C licenses and is also a coach instructor for Level 1 license for Goalkeepers and is a level 3 licensed GK coach. With a wealth of experience to call back on, the GK department at Hyderabad is certainly in good hands.

Prashant Naidu (Pune) – Kit Manager | Instagram

Another popular figure among the HFC fans, Prashant Naidu, is one of the longest-serving presenters with the Hyderabad FC staff. A former Maharashtra State footballer who also featured in the Rovers Cup, the 48-year-old has been with Hyderabad FC since its inception. He previously worked with Pune FC and FC Pune City, winning the IFA Shield and featuring in the AFC Cup as well. He was a part of the ISL winning contingent at HFC, has finished runners-up in the I-League and in the Durand Cup and is an experienced head, who venture in and help most departments in the back end at the club.

Aiswaryan Pillai (Nabrangpur, Odisha) – Team Manager | Instagram

Having first joined the Nawabs as the youth coach, is also an experienced presence in the first team at HFC. The 26-year-old previously worked with the youth team at Odisha FC, and spent time with the National Team as a Manager and Coach for the U17 side for their camp in Bhubaneshwar a couple of years ago. He was the Team Manager for the first team at Hyderabad for the second half of last season and will look to continue the progress of his side in the new season.

Suraj Pillai (Mumbai) – Assistant Coach | Instagram

A journeyman involved in Indian football in many ways, Suraj is a part of the HFC contingent who made their ISL debut this season. Having acted as Head Coach in Devonport Strikers and worked with Manly United FC and Manly Vale in Australia, the 33-year-old founded the Young Guns football academy in Thane and also helps Coaches around the country with his ‘Football Coaches academy’. His experience is certain to bolster the technical side of the club in the new season.

Shrivatsa Joglekar (Nelyadi, Karnataka) – Head Analyst | Instagram

A learned figure who has been around for a while now, The 23-year-old has introduced a host of players to Indian football in the last few years. He has also worked closely with a couple of ISL teams in the past and will now be under the scanner in the senior team at Hyderabad FC.

Sai Kumar Kalakota (Hyderabad) – Assistant Kit Manager | Instagram

A local presence in the back end of the first team, Sai Kumar is a former footballer who has featured in the BC Roy Trophy for Telangana. He is a utility man, who has grown up the ladder among the staff in the last year. The 24-year-old is currently a crucial part of the first team and is also the local connect to the various up-and-coming footballers at the heart of football in the city of Hyderabad.

🙌 Plenty to learn for the Yellow and Black!#BFCHFC #TheNawabs 💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/ZOmyjfbVNj

— Hyderabad FC (@HydFCOfficial) September 20, 2024

Medical Team:

Rajiv Kumar Singh (Noida) – Head Physio | 

Easily one of the most experienced among his trades in the Indian Super League, the 35-year-old has seen it all in this league, and has been a part of the ISL in each of it’s 11 years of existence including this season. Starting off with Delhi Dynamos a decade ago, Rajiv has been with Hockey National Senior men’s team, and has worked with various stars in Boxing as well. He has an ISL winners medal, was a part of the team that won Bronze in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Hockey and will add invaluable experience to the Medical Team at Hyderabad FC this year.

Ranjan Biswas (Kolkata) – Head Masseur | 

Adding further experience to this Medical Team is 50-year-old Ranjan Biswas, who is in his second season with HFC. He has previously worked for both the Kolkata Giants in Chennai and a host of football teams all around the country. He has also worked for teams in the Pro Kabaddi League, teams in the Santosh Trophy, and was a part of the National Team that travelled to China for the 2022-23 Asian Games. He has worked with the CRPF, managing teams in different sports disciplines as well. With plenty of personal high-profile clients as well, his experience will certainly help the young squad at HFC.

Dr. Vinu Mohan (Ernakulam Kerala) – Team Doctor | Instagram

Another member of the staff who got his first taste of ISL action, the 29-year-old Doctor completed his PG with the National Institute of Sports in Patiala. In his time there, he helped various athletes from boxing, wrestling, Judo, Athletics and more and has also given medical coverage for the athletes trialling for the Asian Games and Olympics in a varied variety of sports. He has worked in Orthopedics at in ESIC Hospital and has a skill set that will help in the all-around well-being of the first team at HFC.

Utsav Shah (Vasai Virar, Mumbai) – Assistant Physio | 

Another ISL debutant on the bench against Bengaluru for Hyderabad, Utsav has also been around the domestic sports circuit in India. Having spent time in his trade with the Uttarakhand Boxing Association, the 27-year-old has worked closely with a few of the best athletes in one of the top-rated rehab centres in the country. With clients from Kabaddi and Racquet Sports along with Football, he has gathered a varied knowledge in his field and will put it to the test in the top flight of Indian football this year.

Kishore Sunil Khilare (Pune) – Assistant Masseur | 

A young and knowledgeable addition to the Medical team, Kishore, is relatively new to the sport. The 23-year-old did spent the last season in the Indian Super League in Chennai and has now been roped in to add to the loads of experience in the Medical Team with the Yellow and Black.

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