Panaji: FC Goa have taken a giant leap of faith with the appointment of an all-Indian coaching staff for the first time with Gouramangi Singh Moirangthem chosen to guide the team this season.Gouramangi was assistant to Manolo Marquez for the last three seasons and is now on the verge of taking over as head coach. According to club sources, the paperwork is expected to be completed on Monday.Besides Gouramangi, 40, Goa interviewed a foreign coach with experience of managing in India but decided to stick with someone who’s been part of the setup for the last four years. The decision, according to sources, was also reinforced by feedback from Manolo, who was left in no doubt that the former India defender is ready to take charge of Goa on his own.“Working alongside you didn’t just teach me new things – it gave me greater clarity and conviction in the football I believe in,” Gouramangi posted on social media when Manolo announced his departure from Goa last month. “The deeper understanding of the game, the attention to detail, the constant pursuit of improvement, and the willingness to challenge ideas while remaining true to principles are lessons that will stay with me for a very long time.”Gouramangi, AIFF Player of the Year in 2010, has not managed a team in the top two tiers of Indian football with his previous coaching experience being at FC Bengaluru United, before his move to Goa in 2022.During his three years at Goa under Manolo, Gouramangi has come in for rich praise from the experienced Spanish coach who referred to him as a “fantastic assistant” who knew how to handle modern footballers. Whenever handed charge, he has not lost a game, winning the Bandodkar Memorial Gold Trophy against foreign opponents – when Manolo was away on national team duty – and managing a draw against Mohun Bagan SG at home last season, when the head coach was suspended.“Remember this sentence, because you will write this (in the future). Gouramangi will be, if not the best, one of the best Indian coaches in some years,” Manolo told TOI during a pre-match media interaction last season.Gouramangi will be assisted by Shameel Chembakath, AFC Pro coaching license holder whose previous stints in the Indian Super League (ISL) were at Hyderabad FC and Kerala Blasters.Sugitesh Mandrekar has been promoted from the reserves to the senior team as goalkeeping coach, while Chelston Pinto joins as the strength & conditioning coach, having been with the national team under Khalid Jamil and later part of Ashley Westwood’s team at Kerala Blasters last season.Gouramangi will be the first Indian coach to be handed charge of Goa at the start of the season on a full-time basis. Clifford Miranda and Derrick Pereira have managed the Gaurs midway into a season, when Sergio Lobera parted ways and Juan Ferrando left to join Mohun Bagan.ALL-INDIAN COACHING STAFFHead coach: Gouramangi SinghAssistant coach: Shameel ChembakathGoalkeeping coach: Sugitesh MandrekarStrength & Conditioning Coach: Chelston Pinto
