India job interests NorthEast United coach Ricki Herbert

Wim Koevermans is gone and the All India Football Federation have begun their search for a new head coach. However, they may not have to look past a tournament that is happening in the country itself. Ricki Herbert, former coach of New Zealand and currently managing NorthEast United in the Indian Super League, has clearly dropped his name into the hat for the India job. “All I can say is that there is a potential position (of a coach) available in India and the profile has a lot of similarities to what I did with the New Zealand team when I took them to the World Cup four years ago. Its too early for me to comment on it, but all I can say it that getting to be a coach of the Indian team would be an interesting job,” he was quoted as saying to The Indian Express. [caption id=“attachment_1785247” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Herbert has done well with his NorthEast side in the ISL so far. ISL[/caption] Herbert led New Zealand to the World Cup in 2010 in South Africa, where they were the only unbeaten team — drawing against Italy, Paraguay and Slovakia — all fancied teams. The 53-year-old also played for his national side in the 1982 World Cup. Herbert’s NorthEast have impressed in the ISL so far — sitting third in the table after five games. The youthful side has lost just one match and shown a great desire to eke out results against bigger teams. To get better India needs ISL and belief, says NorthEast Utd manager Ricki Herbert The quality of the ISL will depend on national players rather than foreigners: Herbert There are clearly similarities in the challenges Herbert will face in the India job and the NorthEast job. Firstly, he had to start from scratch in the ISL and has managed to create a fine-tuned system — starting pre-season before any other team. Herbert will also have a huge talent pool to choose from — judging that he has used 22 of his 28 players so far — players will get chances to perform under him. Lastly, he trusts his domestic contingent — as explained in much better detail in this piece by Ashish Magotra , Herbert’s motivation works wonders for the Indians. Goalkeeper TP Rehenesh is a prime example. NorthEast started off as underdogs — more of a developmental side which said that winning was secondary — and are now looking like favourites. India needs such a change too — the sleeping giant cliche has to end and start showing results. It may be too early to say, but Herbert does fit the bill, and his comments will have reached AIFF for sure.