I-LEAGUE Media Team

NEW DELHI: Salgaocar FC have further strengthened their coaching unit after roping in another of their former players, Mariano Dias.

Mariano, whose role sees him primarily involved with the Senior Team, shall work closely with former team mates at Salgaocar, Head Coach, Derrick Pereira and Assistant Coach, Mario Soares. In addition, he shall also assist with the club’s youth development program.

He is an AFC ‘A’ license holder and is currently on the verge of obtaining his Pro License having completed all of the respective modules. “I am thrilled to re-join Salgaocar, a club I spent a majority of my playing days. I thank the management for the opportunity and I hope to contribute to the club’s success”, Mariano said.

Over the years, the club has turned to its former long serving players and offered them various coaching roles at the club. Savio Medeira, Assistant Coach of the Indian National team, who also played in the same era as Mariano, coached Salgaocar SC for several years before taking up his current role.

Mariano’s playing career saw him spend 8 years at Salgaocar between 1981 and 1989 before switching to MRF. He wound up his career at Churchill Brothers SC, a side he steered clear of relegation as Head Coach during the 2013-14 season in addition to having won the Federation Cup in the same year.

He started his coaching career with an assignment with the India U14s during the AFC U14 festival and followed the assignment with a 2 year stint at Sesa FA. He was then assigned the responsibility of coaching the State team for the Santosh Trophy and continued in the role until 2011 before receiving a call up to the National team as Assistant Manager.

Coincidentally, he held the position of Technical Director – Youth Development at the club in 2010-11. Mariano, a big propagator of development at the grassroots, went on to add, “Having worked closely with the club’s youth development system, I can vouch that Salgaocar FC are by far, one of the best in the country in that regard.”

Story Courtesy: Salgaocar FC Media