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Sreenidhi FC have appointed Fernando Varela as the head coach for the 2021-22 I-League season. The Hyderabad-based club will make its debut in India's second-tier competition in the coming year.
Fernando Varela is an experienced coach in the Indian football circuit, having previously managed Gokulam Kerala and Churchill Brothers in the I-League. Making the announcement through their social media handles, Sreenidhi FC wrote:
"We are pleased to have Argentina-born Spanish football manager Fernando Santiago Varela on board as the Head Coach for the Hero I-League of Sreenidhi Deccan Football Club (SDFC). His technical skills and innovative coaching methods have consistently proven him to be a successful manager. Being a UEFA Pro Licence holder, he surely will drive SDFC to great heights."
In his first season in India with Gokulam Kerala, Fernando Varela helped the club win the Kerala Premier League in 2018. A year later he helped the Malabarians win the Durand Cup before parting ways with them in 2020.
Fernando Varela took charge of Churchill Brothers ahead of the 2020-21 season of the I-League and helped them stay unbeaten in the first round of the competiton. However, the Goan club couldn't sustain the momentum in the play-off round and lost the title to Gokulam Kerala on goal difference.
Fernando Varela was also linked with Mohun Bagan in the 2019-20 I-League season but negotiations broke down. He completed his UEFA coaching license alongside former Bengaluru FC coach Carles Cuadrat.
About Sreenidhi FC
Sreenidhi FC were formed in 2015 and played in the Hero Junior League and Hero Sub Junior League, India's national U-15 and U-13 competitions organized by the AIFF. The apex footballing governing body of India invited applications for the I-League through the corporate entry in 2020. Sreenidhi FC got the nod to play in the I-League from 2021.
