Bhubaneswar: Former Indian U-19 football team head coach Suvendu Panda proceeded on Thursday to obtain his AFC pro License. This is his fifth and last module of the pro license to be held at Saudi Arabia from 26th September to 3rd October.
Earlier Suvendu successfully completed four modules, first and second at Chandigarh and Bhubaneswar respectively. While the third module completed online and fourth at Goa. He is the first and only Odisha coach to have such honour.
As per the eligibility guidelines to attend the AFC pro license, a coach should have AFC-A license and the coach of a national team or ISL or I-League team.
During the last five years Suvendu was the coach of Indian national U-15, U-17 and U-19 teams. Under his guidance the national u-19 team emerged SAFF champion by defeating Pakistan and also the U-15 team bagged bronze medal in SAFF championship. He is the only Odisha coach having AFC-A license and presently working as the technical director of Sports Odisha team and head of the Youth Development program.
AIFF recommended 17 coaches including four women coaches of India for the AFC pro license course, it’s a matter of pride for the State that coach Suvendu Panda is the only from Odisha to be named among them. This module was a compulsory excursion for all participants, designed to observe the development of football.
Talking about the Course Suvendu Panda expressed “The football sports are changing very fast in our country. As per the new rules, all teams in the 2024-25 season of the Indian Super League must have an Indian assistant coach, holding the AFC Pro License (or equivalent). So the development of soccer sports in our country needs more Pro License coaches”.
