'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Willingness to work closely with I-League clubs
Despite Bob Houghton’s success and huge popularity among national team players and Indian football fans, the Englishman wasn’t a popular figure among I-League clubs.
One of his biggest criticisms was that he was never a regular to I-League matches and very rarely gave importance to consistent I-League performers.
It’s unclear what opinion clubs have about Koevermans but the Dutchman has certainly made every effort to work closely with them. The 53-year-old is a lot more regular than Houghton to I-League venues and has even hold some meetings with I-League coaches to ensure that a similar style of play is used in the national team and at club level.
Koevermans regularly attends I-League matches (Photo Credit: AIFF Media)
Of course that won’t happen overnight, but Koevermans has clearly identified that the strength of the national team would depend on the quality of the national domestic league and his squad selection has also reflected that he gives a lot of importance to club performances.
So maybe it wasn’t such a surprise to see him criticise IMG-Reliance’s proposed IPL-style tournament, although AIFF later clarified that his comments were misconstrued, as he is not happy that the deadlock between AIFF’s commercial partners and I-League clubs has forced many of his key national team players to be club-less for now.
Koevermans is also overseeing the first-ever AFC pro license coaching course in India, which is being attended by most of the current I-League coaches and that is another step in his mission of working together with the clubs.
Jury is still out
One year undoubtedly is too short a time to make judgments so Koevermans should be given some more time to get the best out of the national team and produce the desired results.
But one thing is for sure, Koevermans’ stint so far hasn’t convinced too many people that he is the right man to take India forward at the international stage.
Many previous national team coaches like Syed Nayeemuddin, the only Dronacharya award winner in football, would argue that the Dutchman is lucky to be still in charge as he failed to achieve the bare minimum of even competing in Asia’s second tier international competition AFC Challenge Cup, which is also the only tournament via which India can qualify for the Asian Cup.
The Nehru Cup 2012 triumph can’t really be considered a huge success because of the strength of the other teams was questionable, with the win over Cameroon ‘B’ in the final not even being regarded as an official match.
The Dutchman must win the SAFF Cup (Image credit: AIFF Media)
The SAFF Cup is the next big assignment of Koevermans and India will be expected to retain the trophy that they have won a record six times. Anything less than a triumph in Nepal could bring a premature end to his reign and it won’t be easy to be the best in South Asia again considering the improvements of teams like Maldives and Afghanistan and the fact that it will be held on foreign soil.
Even success in the SAFF Cup will not make up for the AFC Challenge Cup disappointment but Koevermans will have a winning foundation to build on and would hope that in the following 12 months they regularly play on FIFA match dates.
For now though, the jury is still out on the Euro 1988 winner’s performance as India head coach.
