NORTHEAST UNITED HAVE PUT a long standing speculation to rest, announcing Gerard Nus as their head coach for the 2020-21 season.
Nus, who holds a UEFA Pro License and a Sports Science Degree, is just 35 years old and already holds high profile valuable managerial experiences in Europe, Africa, Asia, North America and Oceania.
During his university days, Nus suffered an ankle injury that ended his playing career. He immediately turned to coaching. At the age of 22, the Spaniard's coaching career began at the Liverpool FC Academy. Just a year later he became a first team staff. He soon got called up to an assistant managerial role at the South Korean top division club Chunnam Dragons.
Later, after stints at Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Melbourne Heart as assistant coach, he became the assistant of Avram Grant at the Ghana national team, where they reached the final of African Cup of Nations. In a subsequent stint as assistant manager of the Ghana team, Nus saw the Black Stars reach the semis of African Cup of Nations.
After two more stints at Elche CF (assistant coach) and Rayo Vallecano (Deputy Technical Director), Nus got his first job as the head coach at American club Rayo Oklahoma City. He helped them get to the NASL Championship semi-final. Later, Kazakhstani top flight club Irtysh Pavlodar also appointed him as their head coach.
Before joining NEUFC he was at Swedish top flight club AFC Eskilstuna, working as their Methodology Technical Director.
In a statement issued by NorthEast United, Nus said about his latest appointment,
“I am excited to start working at Northeast United FC. This is going to be my 3rd stint in Asia and I have heard a lot of good things about the club, the fans and the league from my former boss Avram Grant. I am looking forward to working with the coaching staff and the players to deliver results which the club aspires to achieve in the coming season.”
NEUFC are relying on Nus for a major turnaround. The franchise has remained trophyless after 6 years in operation and has never finished in the top three of ISL. Last season they finished 9th, their second worst season after 2017-18 when they ended at the bottom of the table (as they did in 2014, when ISL only had 8 teams).
The team is expected to assemble in Goa along with the rest of their opponents, and play out the 2020-21 season of the league with the Tilak Maidan in Vasco as their makeshift home ground for this season.