New Delhi: It is rare for a player with immense experience in the English Premier League to make India his home, but terry phelanNow 57, he has become one of those exceptions.
Phelan, who arrived on the shores of Goa more than a decade ago, with 103 club appearances Manchester Cityfor 25 chelseaand 15 for Everton, has spent his time immersed in Indian culture and dedicating his labor to the country’s football.
Serves as Technical Director of I-League Second Division Side South United FCPhelan took time out from his busy schedule to have an exclusive conversation with TimesofIndia.com. Phelan explains the differences between the role of a sports director in India and Europe, addresses the ongoing issue of age fraud indian football and many more.
From playing at Manchester City and Chelsea to Indian football, how did it happen?
After playing a lot of football in England, I decided to travel abroad, see other cultures and see what the world is like, obviously traveling abroad with teams and the Ireland national team. I played for Charleston Battery in America for a few years and was helping my business partner, who was the goalkeeper of the Charleston Battery reserve team, with his project. And that really led me into the coaching ranks and giving back to football even more.
Obviously, as footballers, we take a lot away from it, but I think about giving back more to the community and if I’m really honest that’s where I started.
I think my first coaching job was in 2002 with a group of twelve-year-old girls. So that tells you it’s a long time. And then obviously, I got an offer to go to New Zealand in 2005, which I accepted, to be the head coach of a team in Otago.
And then, I started developing myself, developing my mind in different ways and I really enjoyed it. Then I got a call around 2009. Would I like to get a job as Chief Custodian at Sesa Football Academy in Goa? And I said, “Yeah, I’d love that.”
I already studied a lot on India. I left New Zealand after six wonderful years, packed up and we moved to the small state of Goa.
It was great for two years, obviously went back to the UK and then came back in 2014. I got a call Kerala BlastersI accepted the offer to become the technical director for all youth programs there. David James was the head coach and Trevor Morgan was his assistant.
I came in 2015 and started working for Kerala Blasters and have been here ever since. So I think it’s been about twelve years in total.
And now I’m at South United Football Club. I’m there to help them structure football development side, which has been absolutely fantastic.
How does a sporting director work in Indian football?
I am a sporting director, and am the link between the owners, the CEO, the stakeholders, the first team coach, the head of youth development and the head of academies. I think it’s also improving the relationship between the players and the parents (of the young players). Parents are paramount to what we are really doing. This also includes making sure the strategy is working.
Does a technical director go to the football field? Yes they do. He likes to go to the football field. Do you like to help (the coaches)? But, at the end of the day, they can give their little ideas, but bringing the ideas to life really depends on the people playing the roles.
Is the role of a sports director any different from what we see abroad and in India?
There is a huge difference. If you look at sporting directors and technical directors in Europe, some managers like them, some managers don’t like them. Some managers think they intervene too much. They are the ones who get the signatures. I don’t really do that. I don’t connect too much with our first team. I obviously leave it up to the owner. If the owner wants any help, I can help him and the CEO with that.
But at the end of the day, it’s up to the head coach. I believe it is up to the head coach what type of players he wants.
In Europe, it’s actually very strong there. They are heavily involved in decision making in board meetings with major stakeholders. So, I think that’s the difference.
Here it is a little different. You are mostly involved with the coaching side, helping coaches, helping students and talking to parents. Maybe at some clubs in India, it might be like in Europe, but I think at South United, we are a little easier on the eyes. (laughing)
Recently, Sandesh Jhingan was vocal about age fraud in Indian football. What has been your assessment while working at the grassroots level?
There has been a lot of discussion about this. I have been in India for twelve years now. I don’t think it (age-fraud) is right. We see it as only about winning and not about development, is it about winning trophies and not about developing younger players, or having the patience to do so? Some clubs don’t have the patience to do that. They want to win trophies and keep them in the trophy cabinet.
India is a big place. Many children may not have received Aadhaar cards or birth certificates, so we won’t know. Perhaps it is the same in Africa also. I think in Europe, obviously, it’s a little different. It’s very different, everything has to be above board.
Age fraud probably occurs in many places around the world. But if we can do the right thing and maybe decriminalize it a little bit, it will be fair game all the way because it doesn’t help the national side.
What is South United doing under your watch and what are the long-term ambitions of the club?
The long-term ambition of the club is really to nurture. But it’s not just about football. If we look at the psychological corner this is about it. Children come to South United Football Club for different reasons. Some people come because they are curious. Some people come because their friends are there. Some people come because they want to be football players. Some come for health and fitness, some come for peer pressure. Some people come because they want to emulate their sports heroes and that’s what they try to do. And that’s why we are here.
We are promoting the development of students and hopefully getting them from one step to the next, from the kids’ program to the junior development program to the youth development program to elite teams and then obviously to the first team. That’s the big one, that’s the attitude and the vision of the club. Would we like to be in ISL tomorrow? No, this is a long-term approach. We will do it step by step.
