Srinagar: International football coach Sajid Yousuf Dar has been promoted to AFC A Diploma Instructor.
He will be assisting Vincent Subramaniam, the CTO of AIFF, in the upcoming AFC A Diploma, which is scheduled to be held in Delhi starting from July 1st, 2023. Following his assistance, Sajid will be given the opportunity to conduct A Diploma course himself.
In addition to being a coach educator, Sajid is also a mentor in the FIFA Pathway Project.
His coaching journey began in 2017 after his tenure as the Head Coach of the Indian Women’s National Football Team.
Prior to that, Sajid served as the Head Coach for various Indian Youth Teams (Boys). During his time with the national teams, he traveled to countries such as Japan, Germany, Malaysia, Vietnam, Nepal, North Korea, and Mandalay.
Under Sajid’s guidance, the Indian women’s national team achieved significant accomplishments, including winning the gold medal in the South Asian Games and becoming champions of the SAFF Championship in 2016.
He has coached around 300 players at both the youth and senior levels, with many of his trainees going on to play for national, ISL, and I-League teams.
After transitioning to coach education, Sajid began conducting courses where he shared his on-field experience with participants. To date, he has produced approximately 400 coaches for the country.
Additionally, Sajid has served as the honorary technical director for Royal Wahingdo FC, Real Kashmir FC, Lonestar FC, State Football Academy, and has recommended players from Jammu and Kashmir for Indian camps, many of whom have gone on to represent the national teams.
Sajid’s contributions to football have been recognized, and he was awarded the Parshuram Award in the best coach category for the year 2014. Currently, he works as a football coach at the University of Kashmir and conducts various coach education programs in the Directorate of Physical Education and Sports at the university.
Sajid comes from a sports family with a rich history of producing high-caliber players. His father, Mr. Mohammed Yousuf Dar, is an international footballer and a childhood hero to Sajid.
His younger brother, Majid, is also a former national player and works as a sports administrator in JKSC as an Executive Officer.
Sajid acknowledges the support of his father, his department, and the competent authorities at the University of Kashmir for their continuous encouragement and support throughout his career.
