'The Professor' is here: Veteran Portuguese gaffer Nelo Vingada is the new NEUFC head coach

NORTHEAST UNITED HAVE made quick work of finding themselves a new head coach after their previous appointment, Sergio Farias, departed the franchise even before the pre-season began. And the replacement they have brought in isn't half bad either. This time they have opted for 63 year old Portuguese veteran coach Eduardo Manuel Martinho Braganza de Vingada, aka Nelo Vingada.

A former player who plied his trade in Portuguese sides like Atletico Clube de Portugal, Sintrense and Belenenses, Vingada started his coaching career in 1981 in the same club where he retired as a player, at the early age of 28. In 1988, he got his first big ticket job as an assistant coach in the Portugal U-20 national team. He later became the manager of the team and lead them to a third place finish at the 1995 World Youth Champuonship. He also managed the Portugal team that went to the 1996 Olympics.

He tasted major success as the manager of the Saudi Arabia national team. He won the Asian Cup with them and earned them a qualification for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. But he was sacked before the World Cup started. He became an assistantmanager of Benfica, and later went onto coach other major clubs in Asia like Persepolis, FC Seoul, El Zamalek and Dalian Shide. He also managed the national team of Jordan for a while, coached the Egyptian Olympic team and recenly was an assistant coach of Iran as well as the head coach of the Iran Olympic team.

Vingada, known as 'The Professor' to his fans, comes in with a unique blend of experience in coaching across Asia and Europe at the very highest level. And he is no stranger to short-notice assisgnments. Known for his tactical strength and a structured, disciplined approach to the game, Viganda looks like a sound managerial choice for NorthEast United, looking at not only the present situation where the franchise faces a hectic build-up to the pre-season, but also looking at the previous editions of ISL where lack of defensive solidity and poor passing game in the final third saw NEUFC fall short of qualifying for the ISL semi-finals. Their fans will be hoping for 'The Professor' to school their squad into becoming a better unit come October.