Shillong, Jul 19: Shillong Lajong have named one of their own, Birendra Thapa (pictured left), as the new head coach, with George Vannie Lyngdoh Nongrang (right) as assistant coach.
Birendra, known as Biru, has been with the club in one capacity or another for the better part of 20 years, starting out as a player before also becoming manager and assistant coach.
He left SLFC in 2019 to take on the role of assistant coach at Mohammedan Sporting and Sreenidi Deccan but returned to Lajong again in 2024.
Lajong have been without a head coach since mutually parting ways with Jose Carlos Rodriguez Hevia, which had been announced in June.
Birendra worked under Hevia and naturally has extensive experience of the entire Lajong set-up, including the players who have come up through the ranks.
His first big test will be the Durand Cup 2025 – Lajong’s first match is exactly a week away from today. Last year the Reds under Hevia reached the semifinals where they fell to eventual champions NorthEast United. This year, though, NEUFC have been drawn in Lajong’s group.
Meanwhile, George has been promoted to fill Birendra’s place as assistant coach.
Still only in his mid-20s, George was the assistant coach last year of Mohammedan Sporting’s reserve team that participated in the Calcutta Football League before joining the coaching staff of Lajong.
As a youth footballer, he played for Sawmer SC, Rangdajied United, Lajong as well as the Meghalaya U-21 team at the Khelo India Youth Games 2020.
(Shillong Lajong FC photos)