Ali looks to light up Chirag

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As a pressure loving football coach, Mohamed Nizam Packeer Ali had to reject the offer of coaching his national team and instead fly down to South India for taking up a difficult job of rejuvenating the Chirag United Kerala team.

On being asked about the decision, Ali promptly said: “Professional leagues are more interesting, the demand is high and it is glamourous. The pressure is intense and I love to take up challenges.”

The Chirag team may have finally got their due in the form of their new coach who has ample international coaching expertise up his sleeve.

“Though I’ve coached Sri Lankan youth teams I have more affinity towards club football,” Ali said. Upon his arrival on Monday morning Ali arranged for a friendly to be played against a local club to find out the loopholes first.

“There is lot to be improved in the team and a lot of work has to be done in the midfield and forward line-up. There were chances made when playing against the local club, but they only managed to score once, which is a concern and I will look to sort that out,” said the former Lankan defender.

It was Chirag’s assistant coach Bino George who had persuaded Ali to take up the job while he was coaching the Bangladeshi club Sheik Jamal Dhomondi.

On being quizzed about the quality of foreign talent in the Chirag bandwagon Ali said that Australia’s Michael Matricciani and Ghana’s Isaac Boakeye were good. “The Ghanaian defender is quite talented and so is Matricciani,” Ali said.

“The Brazilian forward Alex did not seem to be in proper shape and I am told that he has some personal problems. Players have to physically, as well as mentally be ready for challenges and that is something I will have to work with this team,” said Ali.

During his playing days, Ali had was the midfield for Vasco Goa which means that he is not new to India’s football culture.

“If you want to perform you need better infrastructure that includes own training ground and travel facilities. A professional club has to be professional in every aspect,” Ali concluded.