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Current Technical Director of FC Goa, Derrick Pereira has come out as the new favourite to coach India in the upcoming 2020 AFC U-23 Championships Qualifiers. The Blue Tigers are grouped alongside Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan and will kickstart their campaign on 22 March. The group winner and four best runner-ups will make it to the final round in Thailand, which in turn will begin from 8 January 2020.
Speaking to the Times Of India, an AIFF official commended the 1984 AFC Asian Cup player's past achievement to develop young players. "Derrick has close to two decades of coaching experience and has handled young players well. He has the stature and, if you look at his previous assignments, he is known to develop young players. Having proved himself with clubs like Mahindra, Salgaocar, and FC Goa, it's time for him to move up the ladder," said the AIFF official.
However, Kushal Das was playing his cards close to the chest. "At this point of time, we are considering various options. Nothing has been finalized yet. We will take a decision by the end of the month," said the AIFF General Secretary.
Former national team head coach Stephen Constantine was also in charge of the U-23 team. Following India's exit from the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, the Englishman resigned immediately and the team has been without a senior and U-23 coach since then.
Pereira is one of India's most reputed coaches, having played for Salgaocar in his heydays as a defender. As a manager, the 56-year-old coached Vasco SC for five seasons before taking the mantle at Mahindra United, where he won the now disbanded National Football League in the first season.
After failing to lead them to any other national title, he resigned in 2009 and took charge of newly-formed Pune FC. With Pereira at the helm, they finished fourth in the 2009 I-League second division and qualified to the top tier of Indian football. He led the Maharashtrian club in four consecutive seasons, with the club finishing second in the 2012-13 season. Therein, he groomed players like Jeje Lalpekhlua, Amrinder Singh, Anas Edathodika, and Nikhil Kadam, who went on to became prominent names in Indian football.
Seeing his brilliant leadership qualities, Salgaocar SC roped him for the 2013-14 season. Pereira didn't disappoint his former club as they finished in the third spot. In the ensuing 2014-15 season, the club wrote off their campaign by sitting seventh on the table.
After parting ways with the Goan club via mutual consent, Derrick coached DSK Shivajians and Churchill Brothers in the I-League. He was promoted as the Technical Director of FC Goa from the post of FC Goa Reserves head coach in 2018 and will be raring to take the new challenge of leading India in the 2020 AFC U-23 Championships.
