Shabbir Ali
Encyclopedia
Shabbir Ali, is a Indian
association football manager and former player.
to win the Asian Youth championships in Bangkok
jointly with Iran
in 1974, a performance which even earned praise from the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi
.
As a footballer, Shabbir Ali did not stop there. Actually this was only the beginning of a great career. At the senior level he developed into a sensational striker. After playing with Tata Sports Club in Bombay
for a few years, Shabbir Ali was lured away by the top Calcutta
club, East Bengal in the late seventies. He hit top form immediately. Later he joined Mohammedan
and took the club to a great height before retiring from the same club in the mid-eighties.
At the international level, Shabbir Ali had achievements from which very few can match. Having scored 35 goals in international matches, he still remains one of India's all-time top scorers, even ahead of celebrated names like Chuni Goswami, PK Banerjee, Inder Singh or Baichung Bhutia
. In 1976 Merdeka international football tournament in Kuala Lumpur, Shabbir Ali scored a hattrick against Indonesia
in the first 35 minutes. Only five footballers in India have an international hattrick to their credit, but none of them could score it as fast as Shabbir Ali did.
For 13 years between 1972 and 1984, Shabbir Ali was an automatic choice with the Indian team, be it Asian Youth, Asian Games, pre-Olympics, Asia Cup, Merdeka tournament, Jawaharlal Nehru Gold Cup, King's Cup or any other goodwill tour. He also captained India in Asian Youth, pre-Olympics, Nehru Cup, Merdeka and King's Cup tournaments.
As a coach, Shabbir Ali proved to be a great success within a short period of time. Appointed the Technical Director of the India
, Shabbir Ali steered the team to the gold medal in the SAF championship in Chennai
in 1995. It was a superb achievement considering the fact that India failed to win in the three previous SAF championships at Colombo, Islamabad and Dhaka. He remained the Technical Director till the pre-World Cup tournament in Qatar next year.
In the domestic level, success came to Shabbir Ali naturally. In the 1991-92 seasons, he made Mohammedan
the Champion Club of India having won four tournaments and finished runners-up in two others. Next season, he took up the challenge of coaching a relatively smaller club when he accepted the assignment with Peerless Club. It took him only one season to promote the club to the Calcutta Super Division.
Between 1997 and 1999, Shabbir Ali coached top Goan outfit Salgaocar and established himself as India's best coach. Barring a few like PK Banerjee and Syed Nayeemuddin, no other coach in India could win so many titles in such a short span as Shabbir Ali did.
It started in 1998 when Salgaocar won the Goa Professional League under him and went on to win the Indian Super Cup
defeating the National League champions, Mohun Bagan. Next Salgaocar won the National League
title, the only time a Goan team could win it till date. Shabbir Ali then took the team to Bombay and won the Rovers Cup. Thereafter, the team flew into Delhi to bag the Durand Cup beating both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal and then tamed Mohun Bagan again in the Super Cup contest. No other teams in India have been given such a great run in Indian football in recent years.
and rewarded as India's best football coach, towards his service to coach Goan outfit Salgaocar Club between 1997-1999.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
association football manager and former player.
Career
As a footballer, Shabbir Ali was rated as the best player in India during the 70s and 80s. Arguably the finest striker of his time, Shabbir was a prolific goal scorer both at the national and international level. He rose to fame at a very early age when he captained IndiaIndia national football team
The Indian national football team is the national football team of India and is governed by the All India Football Federation. It is a member of the Asian Football Confederation. Since 1948, the AIFF has been affiliated with FIFA, the international governing body for football. In 1954, AIFF became...
to win the Asian Youth championships in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
jointly with Iran
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
in 1974, a performance which even earned praise from the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
.
As a footballer, Shabbir Ali did not stop there. Actually this was only the beginning of a great career. At the senior level he developed into a sensational striker. After playing with Tata Sports Club in Bombay
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
for a few years, Shabbir Ali was lured away by the top Calcutta
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
club, East Bengal in the late seventies. He hit top form immediately. Later he joined Mohammedan
Mohammedan Sporting Club (Kolkata)
Mohammedan Sporting Club, founded in 1891 at Kolkata, is one of the oldest and leading football clubs in India. The club currently plays in the second division of I-League and premier division of CFL....
and took the club to a great height before retiring from the same club in the mid-eighties.
At the international level, Shabbir Ali had achievements from which very few can match. Having scored 35 goals in international matches, he still remains one of India's all-time top scorers, even ahead of celebrated names like Chuni Goswami, PK Banerjee, Inder Singh or Baichung Bhutia
Baichung Bhutia
Baichung Bhutia is an ex Indian footballer. He is currently contracted by the club he owns, United Sikkim. He is considered to be the torchbearer of Indian football in the international arena. He plays for United Sikkim FC. He is often nicknamed the Sikkimese Sniper because of his shooting skills...
. In 1976 Merdeka international football tournament in Kuala Lumpur, Shabbir Ali scored a hattrick against Indonesia
Indonesia national football team
The Indonesia national football team represents Indonesia in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Indonesia . Prior to independence in 1945, the team competed as the Dutch East Indies national football team. Under this name, Indonesia was the first Asian team to...
in the first 35 minutes. Only five footballers in India have an international hattrick to their credit, but none of them could score it as fast as Shabbir Ali did.
For 13 years between 1972 and 1984, Shabbir Ali was an automatic choice with the Indian team, be it Asian Youth, Asian Games, pre-Olympics, Asia Cup, Merdeka tournament, Jawaharlal Nehru Gold Cup, King's Cup or any other goodwill tour. He also captained India in Asian Youth, pre-Olympics, Nehru Cup, Merdeka and King's Cup tournaments.
Coaching Career
After a glorious run as a footballer, Shabbir Ali hung up his boots in 1985 and then began another great chapter as a coach. He earned a first class diploma from the Sports Authority of India. Shabbir Ali added two more feathers to his cap when he successfully passed the German football association B License coach and also their four-week coaching course, which is equivalent to A License.As a coach, Shabbir Ali proved to be a great success within a short period of time. Appointed the Technical Director of the India
India national football team
The Indian national football team is the national football team of India and is governed by the All India Football Federation. It is a member of the Asian Football Confederation. Since 1948, the AIFF has been affiliated with FIFA, the international governing body for football. In 1954, AIFF became...
, Shabbir Ali steered the team to the gold medal in the SAF championship in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
in 1995. It was a superb achievement considering the fact that India failed to win in the three previous SAF championships at Colombo, Islamabad and Dhaka. He remained the Technical Director till the pre-World Cup tournament in Qatar next year.
In the domestic level, success came to Shabbir Ali naturally. In the 1991-92 seasons, he made Mohammedan
Mohammedan Sporting Club (Kolkata)
Mohammedan Sporting Club, founded in 1891 at Kolkata, is one of the oldest and leading football clubs in India. The club currently plays in the second division of I-League and premier division of CFL....
the Champion Club of India having won four tournaments and finished runners-up in two others. Next season, he took up the challenge of coaching a relatively smaller club when he accepted the assignment with Peerless Club. It took him only one season to promote the club to the Calcutta Super Division.
Between 1997 and 1999, Shabbir Ali coached top Goan outfit Salgaocar and established himself as India's best coach. Barring a few like PK Banerjee and Syed Nayeemuddin, no other coach in India could win so many titles in such a short span as Shabbir Ali did.
It started in 1998 when Salgaocar won the Goa Professional League under him and went on to win the Indian Super Cup
Indian Super Cup
The Indian Super Cup is a one-off annual Indian club association football match contested between the I-League champions and the Federation Cup winners. If the I-League champions also won the Federation Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
defeating the National League champions, Mohun Bagan. Next Salgaocar won the National League
National Football League (India)
The National Football League was an association football league competition in India between 1996 and 2007 which was organised into three divisions. The league is now transformed into the I-League and continues with that name...
title, the only time a Goan team could win it till date. Shabbir Ali then took the team to Bombay and won the Rovers Cup. Thereafter, the team flew into Delhi to bag the Durand Cup beating both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal and then tamed Mohun Bagan again in the Super Cup contest. No other teams in India have been given such a great run in Indian football in recent years.
Awards
He has been awarded Dhyan Chand AwardDhyan Chand Award
Dhyan Chand Award is India's highest award for lifetime achievement in sports and games. The award is named after the legendary Indian hockey player Dhyan Chand. The award was initiated in 2002...
and rewarded as India's best football coach, towards his service to coach Goan outfit Salgaocar Club between 1997-1999.