ISL 2023-24 | NorthEast United appoint Juan Pedro Benali as head coach

NorthEast United have appointed Juan Pedro Benali as their new head coach for a season with a view of extending for another year after a miserable campaign.

The 54-year-old has a wealth of experience, having coached various clubs in Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

𝐁𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐝𝐨, 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 🙌🤩

Join us in welcoming Juan Pedro Benali to the NorthEast United family! 🙌❤️

Excited to have him on board as our new Head Coach! 🎉

#NEUFC #StrongerAsOne #8StatesOneUnited https://t.co/93qNkzrVvZ

“It is a great honour for me to accept the appointment as the Head Coach of NEUFC. I am incredibly excited to embark on this journey with the Club as we look to build a competitive team that can challenge at the highest of levels,” Juan told the NEUFC website.

Benali has spearheaded many clubs in different positions across his career and driven them to success. Although the Spaniard kicked off his managerial career with Las Rozas CF, Atletico Madrid appointed him as a technical assistant for six months in 1999.

Besides, he acted as Finland and Racing Santender's technical assistant for two years combined and club director for a Morrocan-based outfit Moghreb Tetouan and Al Dharfa, a club based out of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

His experience in setting up clubs might make life easier for the ISL outfit. "The Northeast region is the heart of Indian football and is home to some of the country’s best footballing talent that we will look to nurture. The region also has very passionate and knowledgeable fans, and I will try my best to make them proud,” he added.

Newly appointed CEO Mandar Tamhane is ecstatic about the prospect of working together with the experienced Juan Pedro Benali.

“We are delighted to welcome Juan to the Club. Not only is Juan a fantastic coach and a master tactician, but he also has the unique experience of managing in three different continents across the world," Mandar said.

The diversity of the teams he has coached is a testament to his evolving tactical style and his knowledge of the global footballing landscape. His experience at the Youth level will also help us in creating a pathway for the talent from the region," he added.

A major revamp is required for the Highlanders to challenge for the playoffs again. Their squad severely lacked quality and could not compete with other ISL clubs, who were leaps and bounds above them during the previous season as they succumbed to an 11th-placed finish with just five points on board from 20 games.