Gokulam Kerala FC have appointed former Indian international player NM Najeeb as the reserve team coach for the upcoming I-League season.
Najeeb is known for his coaching stint with SBT during the bankers' National Football League era. He has won a total of 42 trophies for the bankers while 12 players played under him got into the national team during his stint at the State Bank of Travancore (SBT).
"I am glad to be with Malabarians. Kozhikode is my home city and I am honoured to be the coach of the developmental side of a club from my home city. Our aim is to win the Kerala Premier League and also develop as many youngsters for next year's I-League," said Najeeb in an official statement.
As a player, he has played for East Bengal, Titum, and Mohammedans SC. He has also represented India a couple of times as a striker. He has also represented the Kerala team in Santosh Trophy for six years.
After his playing career, he coached State Bank of Travancore for 15 years.
"Najeeb was instrumental in mentoring several Kerala players and he has helped them to play for India. We at Gokulam Kerala FC believe, he could be able to replicate his success at SBT here and develop several players for the senior," said Gokulam Kerala FC CEO B Ashok Kumar.
Last week, the Kerala based club kickstarted their pre-season amidst a highly-controlled COVID-safety environment in Kozhikode.
The club from the southern state has resumed training activities after the state-wide COVID-19 lockdown ended on October 31, 2020, while following the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that have been put in place by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for its tournaments.
( With inputs from ANI )
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