Spreading the beautiful game across different states is one of the key objectives in Vision 2047, and the Federation has begun that process by taking the Hero Santosh Trophy to new heights. The-aiff.com is present in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, where the Final Round of the 76th National Football Championship for the Hero Santosh Trophy is taking place, to follow the progression of events in the premier state competition in the country.

Vaibhav Raghunandan
AIFF Media Team

BHUBANESWAR: For Khlain Syiemlieh, coaching football has always been more than just a profession. One of Meghalaya’s most revered coaches, Syiemlieh held the top job at Rangdajied United for a decade before shifting across town to Ryntih FC when they made their first run to qualify for the I-League. 

While club level exploits have defined his career in the broader Indian Football mainstream, Syiemlieh’s work at the grassroots of Meghalaya football stands out. Syiemlieh was manager of the Meghalaya boys U21 team at the Khelo India Youth Games in Guwahati, an appointment that he took seriously even if others wondered what a high profile man was doing at an age group event.  

He was the coach of the Meghalaya team in the 2019-20 Hero Santosh Trophy. Meghalaya qualified for the group stage that year from a group consisting of Manipur and Nagaland — the tournament followed the old format at the time — and beat both to do so. It was a huge thing that went without much notice, because soon after the pandemic struck. The tournament was cancelled. 

By the time the next edition came by, Syiemlieh’s priorities had changed and his work at Ryntih took hold. Meghalaya’s performance in the 75th edition of the tournament in Malappuram, while not oath breaking, bore notice. 

This time though the objectives had completely changed. There was no joy in participation. “We prepared very well, and the larger number of games also helped the team grow,” he says. “It gave many boys an opportunity to prove themselves and find their bearings.”

Meghalaya qualified for the Final Round from a group consisting of Odisha and Sikkim, and did so without losing a single game. 

Their first match in Odisha though, proved to be a reality check. Up against a Service side that had come into the Final Round as a direct entry, Meghalaya lost 0-2. And even in that loss they had their chances, having had a penalty saved and forcing the Services goalkeeper into heroics to earn a win. 

Syiemlieh’s skills were put to the test in galvanising a young unit that had not faced a loss. Up against Northeastern rivals Manipur, their next game became a shoot off, one team coming off a big win and the other off a demoralising loss. 

Meghalaya edged a lucky win thanks to a goalkeeping error and a resurgence began. 

“Our main problem was scoring goals,” Syiemlieh says. “Our strikers were lacking confidence, and despite a lot of good football, the finishing was lacking.”

In their first three games, Meghalaya scored just one goal, from a free kick that the goalkeeper spilt into his own net against Manipur.  

The dam burst against Delhi. They scored five and looked imperious in a rout.  A day prior,  the coaching staff had sat down with some of the senior players and spoken about building confidence. 

“For me, having someone like Aibor [Khongjee] is very useful,” Syiemlieh says. “He is adored by this young generation and has a lot of ideas about how to get the best out of players. It is a fresh voice, much needed in Meghalaya football.”

And Meghalaya’s voice is also a breath of fresh air within Indian Football. In the aftermath of their history-making achievement, as the players celebrated in the dressing room, Syiemlieh, Khongjee and assistant coach Dious Lapasam sat around and just chuckled within themselves. 

“This is their moment,” the coach said. “They deserve it. It will inspire a lot of kids in the state. Now we go to Riyadh, and hope to create some more history.”