Northeast football icons take coaching leap at Guwahati's Kahikuchi
The week-long course drew attention not just for its content but for its participants – players who have represented India
(From right to left) Halicharan Narzary, Vinit Rai, Sandeep Singh and Vipin Singh, among others, listen to chief instructor Subam Rabha (back to camera) during a session.
Guwahati, May 25: On a humid May morning in Azara, on the outskirts of Guwahati, four Indian Super League (ISL) stars exchanged their jerseys for notebooks and footballs for whiteboards. The setting was different – a training ground turned classroom – but the energy was unmistakably football.
Bipin Singh, Vinit Rai, Sandeep Singh and Halicharan Narzary, all active top-tier footballers from the Northeast, have taken a significant step toward shaping the next generation of Indian footballers. The quartet just completed the AIFF D Licence Coaching Course – the first rung in India’s coaching certification ladder – held at the Horticulture Research Station Playground in Kahikuchi.
Organised by Guwahati City FC under the aegis of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Assam Football Association (AFA), the week-long course drew attention not just for its content but for its participants – players who have represented India, competed at the highest level in the country, and now want to give back to the game.
“As a footballer, I don’t want to give up the game after I retire,” Vinit Rai, a central midfielder from Assam currently playing for Punjab FC, told The Assam Tribune during a break at the course. “I want to stay involved. I’ve learnt so much through my career, and now I want to pass that on to youngsters in my state and my locality.”
Twenty-seven-year-old Vinit, who made his senior India debut in 2018, found the course eye-opening. “It’s one thing to play the game but another to understand it from a coach’s perspective. Learning how to structure a session and how to communicate drills effectively – it’s been very valuable.”
Joining him was Bipin Singh (30), the energetic winger of Mumbai City FC, who made his India debut in 2021. Bipin admits he wasn’t always keen on coaching. “Honestly, I was almost certain I wouldn’t take this up,” he smiled. “But I changed my mind. Back home, kids in my village (Wangoi) keep asking me questions about how to play, how to improve. This course has given me the tools to answer them better.”
For Bipin, the course has been as much about reflection as it is about learning. “After attending the sessions, I felt we should have done this much earlier in our careers. It would have helped us understand the finer aspects of the game as players too.”
Kerala Blasters FC defender Sandeep Singh (30) echoed similar thoughts. “We’ve all come from small places, and we’ve had our struggles. Now, we want to help younger kids – guide them in the right way.”
And then there’s Halicharan Narzary – a name that resonates deeply in Assam football circles. Known for his quiet demeanour off the pitch, Halicharan (31) has always let his game do the talking. Currently with Bengaluru FC, he is one of the few from Assam to wear the Indian senior jersey.
“Halicharan is a bit shy with the media but extremely sharp during sessions,” said Subam Rabha, the chief instructor for the course. “He and the others bring a lot of knowledge from their professional experience. This course just gives them a new dimension – how to plan a drill, how to communicate it, and why certain methods work better.”
Subam, an AFC A Licence coach from Assam, was particularly impressed by the discipline and intent of the participants.
“Their commitment to learn, even during the off-season, shows how serious they are. Once they start coaching – whether at the grassroots or academy level – they’ll be able to deliver technical knowledge with real clarity,” said Subam, who is now the head of youth development at Odisha FC.
The sessions were designed not just to test their understanding but to push them beyond what they knew. The players participated in group activities, mock training sessions, and practical drills – not as players, but as future mentors.
“There was great camaraderie,” said Vinit. “It felt like a team again – me, Halicharan, Bipin Bhai, and even Mandeep Singh joined in parts. And Subam Bhai made the whole process engaging and insightful.”
As the course drew to a close on Sunday, it was clear this wasn’t just a training programme. It was the beginning of a transition – from being coached to becoming coaches, from leading attacks to leading sessions.