Odisha FC assistant coach Clifford Miranda hopes to become head coach

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 14 (ANI): Former India international Clifford Miranda made the switch from FC Goa to Odisha FC to be the club’s new assistant coach under Josep Gombau ahead of the new Indian Super League (ISL) season, bringing an end to a four-year spell with the Gaurs.
Miranda, who began his coaching career with the west Indian club, moved up the ranks at FC Goa to go from their U-18 head coach to first-team assistant coach.
He also stepped in as the head coach of the team when Sergio Lobera departed FC Goa at the business end of the 2019-20 season.
“It was difficult for various reasons, both professionally as well as personally. Professionally because the club gave me the break into coaching. They absorbed me into their U-18 teams as head coach and then promoted me to the reserve team and then subsequently to the first team as an assistant coach, firstly under Sergio Lobera and then a big role under Juan Ferrando,” said Miranda in a statement.
“So for me, it was a tough decision because the club helped me grow during my early years as a coach, to help me grow professionally and help me in my licenses. And from a personal point of view, I have a young family and there are kids who are growing up. But when I weighed up my career, I wanted to join a team that could help me even further,” he added.
The 39-year-old is now looking ahead to a new challenge at Odisha FC where he aims to further grow as a coach and take further steps towards his dream of becoming a head coach not just in the ISL but also abroad.
“It was the conversation that I had with Gombau as well as Yakubu that helped me in taking the decision. I wanted to know right from the outset what my role would be and Gombau was very clear. I am grateful to him for explaining, taking the time to speak with me, and outlining the plan for the club and me,” said Miranda.
“I liked the project. The club is hungry for success, the club wants to develop but in its own way, not by paying an exorbitant amount of money but by paying a reasonable amount, developing players, and moving up the ladder step by step. I felt the club shared the same ambition as me which is to grow to be successful,” he added. (ANI)