Sahayak Begins To Take Flight Exactly one year ago, I completed my first exploratory month in India. During that time, we delivered two weekend coaching courses and launched our very first underprivileged school programme. It was an incredible month, one that immediately showed me where the next chapter of my career belonged. Four months later, in August 2025, I made the move permanently. Looking back now, it’s remarkable to see what has been built in such a short period of t

Building Football Culture, One Ball at a Time — A Personal Journey in Nauru Three years ago, I was asked to get involved in a project connected to Nauru — initially to support as a coach alongside former professional Dave Kitson. At the time, it was a simple idea: help introduce football to a country where the game had never truly existed. But as the project has grown, so has my role. Today, I’m working as Technical Director, helping shape a long-term vision for football on t

India Continues to Deliver It’s been another inspiring and eventful month here in India as Sahayak continues its mission of bringing football to underprivileged children. With school exams now complete, the children are enjoying a well-earned break before stepping into the next chapter of their academic journey. This natural pause has also offered a moment to reflect—on the progress made over the past eight months, and the exciting road that lies ahead as we move into 2026. S

Where Does the Coach End and the Parent Begin? I found myself in an uncomfortable moment the other day My son had just finished school. I’d had a long morning coaching. He asked if we could go outside and play. So we did. No hesitation. No “give me five minutes.” No finishing emails. Laptop down. Phone left inside. We went straight out the door. And for the first 20 minutes, it was great. Then something crept in. Boredom. And almost immediately after that — guilt. Because her

Grassroots Dreams Take Flight: A Landmark First Season Full of Hope and Promise This weekend marked the final whistle on something truly special — the inaugural season of our grassroots league. And what a journey it has been. There were thrills. There were spills. There were, of course, the inevitable teething problems that come with building something new here in India. But above all, there was one overwhelming feeling: optimism. Real, tangible optimism for the future of gra

A Strong Start to 2026: Building Football, Opportunity, and Belief in India 2026 has begun with real momentum here in India, and as our plans for the rest of the year come into focus, it’s hard not to feel genuinely excited about what lies ahead. The foundations we’re putting in place are strong, purposeful, and already showing meaningful impact. One of the most encouraging indicators of that progress is our weekly coaching numbers. In the final week of January, we reached a

Bicharpura – A Visit to “Mini Brazil” 🇮🇳⚽ Some trips stay with you for a long time. This was one of them. Tucked away in India is a small district called Bicharpura, better known by its nickname — Mini Brazil. And honestly, after visiting, it’s not hard to see why. This tiny place has produced over 45 international footballers in the past couple of decades. Let that sink in. But what makes that statistic even more powerful is where this community started. Years ago, this di

A Year of Renewal: Leadership, Resilience, and the Power of Long-Term Vision The past twelve months have marked one of the most profound periods of growth in my life—personally, professionally, and philosophically. As I look ahead to the next year, I do so with clarity, confidence, and genuine excitement about what lies ahead. Looking Back: From Professional Rock Bottom to Reset..... Rewind to Christmas 2024 and I was emerging from the most difficult year of my life. I was ou

“Why do we ask that coaches don’t coach during games at grassroots level?” It’s a question that often raises eyebrows. But the answer becomes obvious when you watch two young players standing in a game looking bored, unengaged, and disconnected from what’s happening around them. ⚽ This isn’t a talent issue. ⚽ It’s not a motivation issue. ⚽ It’s an environment issue. Far too often, children at these ages are flooded with nonstop instructions — every pass, every movement, every

Another Fascinating Fortnight in India: Football’s Crisis, Sahayak’s Momentum, and a Taste of Nepal It’s been another fascinating couple of weeks here in India. The Sahayak project continues to gather real momentum, the national setup has unfortunately hit new lows, and a short three-day trip to Nepal has left me wanting more. Plenty to reflect on. Indian Football Is Hanging by a Thread..... It’s been a disastrous year for Indian football. The climax of the Indian Super Leagu

Trusting the Process: Opening Weekend of Our Grassroots League in Haldwani ⚽ The opening weekend of our Grassroots League here in Haldwani is complete — and it did not disappoint. Like anything new, there’s always a teething process, but I’m absolutely delighted with how we’ve coped. Trusting the Process... For the most part, our league runs like any other U10 setup across the world: we play 7v7, use rolling substitutions, no heading, and ensure defensive teams drop back into

Building Pathways in New Frontiers: Three Months into Football Development in India As I approach the three-month milestone here in India, I find myself reflecting with a deep sense of pride and gratitude. Professionally, this has been an incredible opportunity—to build a development pathway for young footballers in the way I’ve always believed it should be done. Personally, it’s a chance to contribute something meaningful in one of the most vibrant, complex, and captivating

India Project Update: Laying the Foundations for Football’s Future Seven weeks into life here in India, both on and off the field, I’m...

Building Football in Nauru: 18 Months On This week I was delighted to be featured in iGol, a Polish football magazine, for the work we’ve...

Why We Use Ladders at Every Level of Sahayak FC Speed . Agility . Quickness . These aren’t buzzwords—they’re the heartbeat of modern...

Sahayak FC Foundation I am delighted to announce that I have accepted the position as Head Of Football for the Sahayak Foundation based...

Developing Player & Talent ID Clinic The first weekend of May gave me the opportunity to deliver a clinic to local coaches on "Developing...

Grassroots Coaching Clinic My second week in India and everything have been doing has been geared towards the Grassroots Coaching Clinic...

First Impressions of Indian Football My one month excursion to India to learn about the eco-system and development system is underway....

IFK Gothenburg Tour I was fortunate enough to be able to spend a full day at the IFK Gothenburg Academy in Sweden last week. After...