CALCUTTA (India): During his peak time, former India coach Syed Nayeemuddin had always overshadowed the star players IM Vijayan, Chima Okorie and Baichung Bhutia who played under his coaching in the 1990s.
Nayeemuddin was a top-notch name due to his stupendous success with East Bengal and Mohun Bagan.
Disciplinarian, but unpopular
The Hyderabadi, who made Calcutta his home since he joined East Bengal in the mid 1960s, always sported in a spotless white full-sleeve shirt, blue denim jeans and Ray Ban sunglass.
Nayeemuddin had never been a popular coach with the players as he was against long hairs and nails, and was always a strict disciplinarian.
At the iconic South Club in Calcutta a couple of years ago, one former tennis great ridiculed his methods.
“Lijiye, aap ka Dronacharya aa gaye,” his comment had a tinge of sarcasm.
Life’s difficult phase
Today, Nayeem is going through a difficult phase. His close friends have deserted him, and he is without a job but his old lambretta scooter seemed to be only trusted ally.
“Brothers Union had been calling me. The offer is too less. Though they respect me a lot, it’s better to sit idle. I’m a Dronacharya coach. I deserve some respect,” said the 74-year-old.
In 2016, the veteran coach was heckled by Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting officials and fans after the team lost to Sheikh Jamal in a Federation Cup quarterfinal.
While some former Indian footballers said, the veteran coach shouldn’t go to Bangladesh as there’s no respect for him, but he doesn’t have a choice .
“I’ve to live. The government fund is too little to survive. I can’t beg. I don’t want to do that. That’s why I go to Bangladesh on coaching assignments.”
The Indian football federation coffers may have multiple layers of jiyo money, but it doesn’t have any benevolent fund for its Olympians and Asian Games medallists.
Nayeemuddin quit Brothers Union job and returned to Calcutta last year. But with the Indian clubs including East Bengal and Mohun Bagan hiring foreign coaches, there’s little hope for him to land up with a job.
