Shillong, Jun 19: Shillong Lajong FC today named its long-time coach Bobby L Nongbet as the club’s Head of Youth Development.
Nongbet is one of the most respected youth development coaches in the region and has played a pivotal role in shaping the footballing landscape of Meghalaya as an official in the Department of Sports & Youth Affairs (currently as District Sports Officer of Ri-Bhoi), coach of Meghalaya Football Association state teams and at Lajong.
The appointment is an important one as the big question is whether Lajong can keep their player factory going. After a stellar runners-up finish in the Indian Football League 2025-26 under Birendra Thapa, several players are expected to be sold on to other IFL or Indian Super League clubs. Reserve team players (who Nongbet oversaw directly) will then have to step up to the senior team. Whether the club can fill its reserve team ranks with youngsters who are up to the mark will be a key task for Nongbet.
He was instrumental in the initiation and establishment of SLFC’s youth academy in 2005 and he has been with the club ever since, apart from a four-year gap when he joined the (now defunct) Royal Wahingdoh FC.
Nongbet’s coaching credentials include a Youth Coaching Diploma from Budapest, the NIS coaching qualification, an AFC A Licence and a Goalkeeping Licence.
Among his early successes was leading Lajong to victory at the Manchester United Premier Cup India finals, earning qualification to the World Finals in England and placing Meghalaya football on the international youth football map. Under his leadership, Meghalaya state teams achieved success at the Sub-Junior and Junior National Championships, securing runner-up and third-place finishes.
In 2018, Nongbet guided the club to the AIFF’s Elite Youth League title and was recognised nationally with the AIFF and AIFC Best Youth Coach Awards, further cementing his reputation as one of India’s leading youth developers. The following year he led H Elias Memorial Higher Secondary School to victory in the U-17 boys’ Subroto Cup and was honoured as the tournament’s Best Coach.
In 2018-19 SLFC were relegated from the I-League and the club didn’t attempt a comeback until 2023 when, under Nongbet, they finished runners-up in I-League 2. With qualification secured for the 2023-24 I-League, the Lajong management chose to continue with Nongbet as coach and the team performed reasonably well. After that, he focused on the reserve side and won the 2024 Shillong Premier League and 2025 SSA Super Cup, with second-placed finishes in the Meghalaya State League 2024, SPL 2025 and SSA Champions Cup 2025.
Perhaps Nongbet’s greatest achievement has been the development of players who have gone on to excel at the national level, such as Redeem Tlang, Samuel Shadap, Aiban Dohling, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Kynsailang Khongsit, Samuel L Kynshi and Phrangki Buam.
As Head of Youth Development, his primary objective will be to further strengthen Lajong’s academy structure, enhance player development pathways and ensure that the next generation of footballers is equipped with the technical, tactical, physical and personal qualities required to succeed at the highest levels of the game.
“Bobby’s appointment as Head of Youth Development is a reaffirmation of Lajong’s focus on talent identification and development,” Shillong Lajong owner and Managing Director, Larsing LD Sawyan, said. “The club’s objective at inception in 1983 was to promote ‘Lajong‘ (our own) players and help them perform better at the regional and national stage. 46 years later that objective remains the same but with a larger vision – to build our own players across Meghalaya and the North East and help our own country qualify for the World Cup.”
The club “remains focused” on creating a permanent in-house centre of excellence and will work towards this for the next four years, he added.
(File photo)
