Now American flavour for Indian football

Wednesday, 01. July 2009 - Pit Ruddy

Courtesy clubs and their quest for excellence in the I-League, Indian football has seen coaches from Europe, South America, Africa in action. Now it is the turn of an American to come to this country and display his coaching acumen and skill.

When on July 12 Tim Hankinson lands in Goa to take over the responsibility of coaching Salgaocar SC he will be till date having the most enviable bio-data among the foreigners who have coached at the club level in this country.
At the national level of course you can never question the credibility of the likes of Ciric Milovan, Joseph Geli or a Bob Houghton.

The New York born Hankinson has coached the Major League Soccer side Colarado Rapids for a long time and holds the record for being unbeaten for 30 plus games. Been an understudy to Sir Alex Ferguson this respected coach has also worked with the present Indian national coach Bob Houghton way back in 1995/96. Tim also coached the MLS side Tampa Bay Mutiny, the MLS Project 40 squad and the Guatemala Under-17 national team.

Tim, as he is fondly called by footballers and fellow mates, has had the distinction of training the great Carlos Valderamma besides American World Cupper Landon Donovan, John Spencer. His agent Eddie Rock believes, "Tim Hankinson coming to India will enrich this country's footballing culture."

Salgaocar will have Peter Vales , an 'A' licence holder, as their Technical Director. The owner of Salgaocar SC Shivanand Salgaocar is taking a personal interest about the football team and it was he who has confirmed the services of Tim Hankinson. Salgaocar has already confirmed the services of three quality foreigners in the form of  Luciano Sabrosa and Alexandre D'Silva from Brazil, Chigbo Offor from Nigeria. Now it is to be seen what sort of a value Tim adds to this club's future, who have just returned to the I-League.