Robbie Fowler and Harry Kewell Aim To Take Over as India Coach
by Geoffrey Ejiga
Ex-teammates Robbie Fowler and Harry Kewell Go Toe To Toe For the India Head Coach Job.
Since retiring as a player, Robbie Fowler's football career has not been the most enviable.
He spent most of his time coaching teams in lower divisions such as East Bengal, Muangthong United, and Brisbane Roar. Worse still, he has never lasted more than a year at any of the clubs he’s coached.
Fowler’s last managerial stop was at Al‑Qadsiah, where, despite a strong unbeaten run (six wins, two draws), he was sacked after four months because the board wanted a different style of play from the first team.
Now, the ex-Liverpool forward is eyeing a return to managerial football after applying to become the new India head coach. This is a tough job, especially ahead of the Asian Cup Qualifiers.
According to The India Times, Harry Kewell, who shared a badge with Fowler at Liverpool and Leeds, also applied for the same job.
In his managerial career, Kewell has been more successful than his counterpart, having coached a few lower division clubs and Celtic under Ange Postelnglu.
But like Fowler, Kewell rarely coached a team for more than a year, with his longest spell being at Crawley Town, where he managed 57 games.
He later took over at Yokohama F. Marinos, guiding them to the 2024 AFC Champions League final, but that was not enough to stop him from being sacked.
India Narrows Applicants Down To Three-Man Shortlist
According to Olympics.com, the AIFF (All India Football Federation) has shortlisted Stephen Constantine, Stefan Tarkovic, and Khalid Jamil for the head coach job after screening candidates on Wednesday.
Of the three names, Khalid Jamil has been backed as the top candidate given his record in Indian domestic football.
Jamil won the I-League with Aizawl FC in 2016, making history as the first club from the northeast India region to lift the title. He has also come under the spotlight for receiving consecutive AIFF Men’s Coach of the Year awards in 23-24 and 24‑25.
In contrast, Stephen Constantine, is vying for his third stint with the Blue Tigers. During his second tenure, Constantine guided India to the SAFF Championship title in 2016, then the Intercontinental Cup in 2018. His most recent job was as the head coach of the Pakistan national football team.
Štefan Tarkovič, who is the current head coach of Kyrgyzstan, is the third shortlisted name for the position of India head coach. Despite not having major trophies to his name, Tarkovic has been the head coach of Slovenia’s U18 and senior teams in the past.
As the race for India’s head coach position heats up, the new gaffer faces a gigantic challenge to qualify for the 2027 Asian Club World Cup. Only group winners advance, so India must win all four of their next games to stand a chance at topping Group B. This will be the true test for Robbie Fowler, Harry Kewell, or any of the candidates eyeing the India national team coaching job.
