The AFC Asian Cup in 2027 will be without its most populous nation as India were knocked out of qualifying following their 1-2 defeat to Singapore at the Fatorda, Goa. Roughly 30% of Asia's population will have no interest in the 24-team event in Saudi Arabia, with the All India Football Federation's failings laid bare.
There's an easy scapegoat for the AIFF here -- sacking Khalid Jamil would not raise eyebrows -- but the rot in the entire system is visible for all to see. In the unlikely scenario that the federation gets its act together, escapes a FIFA ban, fulfills the reason for its very existence in running a football league, and sticks with the Indian football team manager, we focus on what Khalid Jamil can actually do to take his side forward.
Revamp the core of the national team
With barely any preparation, Jamil's best results were with a patchwork group of footballers as India finished third at the CAFA Nations Cup. He returned to the big names for the crucial games against Singapore, and they managed 43 good minutes out of 180, resulting in a draw and a loss.
This is the same group of players who have threatened to succeed under previous managers only to wilt when the pressure is on. Expectations aren't high around Indian football, but surely there was enough quality to be among the top 24 teams in Asia.
The first change Jamil needs to make is to pick players that suit his particular style of play.
Sunil Chhetri isn't doing his legacy any favours by continuing to prolong his national career and the requisite of a high-pressing, channel-running striker in Jamil's system ought to signal the end. The likes of Lallianzuala Chhangte, Mahesh Singh, Sahal Abdul Samad, Liston Colaco, Brandon Fernandes and more have fielded the creative onus over the last few years. There have been glimpses of good football, but the results have never come.
When the next qualification cycle begins, most of these players will be nearing the age of 30, and they ought to be phased out. As a collective this squad has faced questions regarding their effort, but it misses the forest for the trees. Jamil's preferred style of football cannot utilise these luxury players, and the sooner he gets rid of the current crop, the better.
Embrace being the underdog
International football is a results business. While football-first sides like Socrates' Brazil and Cruyff's Netherlands are eulogised, the truth is that Angelos Charisteas' Greece have more international medals. It's not even as if India have some footballing DNA to live up to. Only results matter in the end.
The investment into Indian football over the last decade has perhaps created an illusion that India can win with style. Jamil ought to embrace the reality that India are not among the top 24 teams in Asia, and that might require a shift to a low-block counter-attacking style, which it must be noted, worked at the CAFA Nations Cup.
It won't be pretty, but maximising set-pieces with a good defence can earn plenty of results. Many foreign coaches have come to India and noted that while the technical level of domestic players was not high, the endeavour was there. Jamil's always demanded that of his players for the full ninety minutes -- and that was lacking against Singapore. Ironically it was Gavin Lee that used the Jamil template to win, hitting India on the counter-attack.
Footballers with speed, physicality and heart -- these are the qualities that Jamil has used to win titles in club football, punching well above their weight. Jamil's always been uncomfortable being the protagonist on the pitch (he admitted as much in the post-Singapore press conference), and he needs to revert to being the underdog.
Take advantage of the relatively empty calendar
India have two Asian Cup 'qualifiers' left -- a trip to Bangladesh and hosting Hong Kong in March 2026. Like Igor Stimac's famed 2023, India can organise (and win) plenty of tournaments against lower-ranked South-Asian opposition, to restore confidence (and morale) in the national side.
It will also free up Jamil to be far more experimental with his squad selections, the result being that no single footballer ought to be guaranteed a spot in the Indian national team. Youngsters like Suhail Bhat can be nurtured, players who've never been offered a fair shot despite domestic success can be introduced and given time.
The next round of crucial games for India will begin with the qualification cycle for the 2030 World Cup (potentially a 64-team event) in 2028, so there's a good two years and change for Jamil and the AIFF to institute a ground-up reboot.
Fast-track the U-23 squad
The eye-catching football of the U-23 side has been a rare positive in men's football. Jamil's already cottoned on to the potential within the squad, inviting seven of them to the national team camp ahead of the games against Singapore, with the likes of Pramveer and Muhammad Suhail even getting the nod, but ultimately, no minutes.
Perhaps a crucial Asian Cup qualifier would not have been the best moment to hand them debuts, but this is how legacies are created. A coach who believed Chhetri wasn't ready for his debut against Pakistan reaped rewards with a hat-trick in that game, and 93 more goals for India later. At some point, Jamil has to be brave, and now with the pressure off, it's all the more prudent to field youngsters with a point to prove.
There will be pitfalls of course -- even in a season where the ISL ran as usual, these players found precious little game time.
And therein lies the crux of the problem for any Indian manager, be they Croatian, Spanish or Indian. It will never matter how much they get right, as the house they're building is one made of cards, with the AIFF a wavering joker, ever ready to watch it all fall down.