Following East Bengal’s derby defeat in the IFA Shield final, Sandeep Nandi resigned from his position as the club’s goalkeeping coach. However, he has now taken on a new role, being appointed as the goalkeeping coach for India’s under-23 national team under the supervision of Naushad Moosa.
India’s U-23 squad will play two matches against Thailand during the FIFA international window, scheduled for 15 and 18 November. Preparations for these matches have already begun at a training camp in Kolkata, where Sandeep has been appointed as the team’s new goalkeeping coach, marking a fresh chapter in his career.
As a young footballer, Sandeep idolised Shishir Ghosh and dreamt of becoming a striker like him. Veteran coach Amal Dutta once fielded him as a striker, but eventually, under the guidance of his childhood coach Gautam Sarkar, he became a goalkeeper. Since then, his reliable hands have saved numerous certain goals. A turning point in his career came during the memorable Shibpur–Mohun Bagan match, which ultimately opened the doors to the national team. Over his career, he has played 54 matches for India, winning national leagues and the I-League, and has also been part of East Bengal’s AFC Cup-winning squad. Now, a new challenge awaits him.
As a player, Sandeep enjoyed tremendous success, representing not only East Bengal but also Mohun Bagan, Churchill Brothers, and Mahindra United. His coaching career has also been distinguished, serving as a goalkeeping coach for respected clubs including NorthEast United, Mohammedan Sporting, Diamond Harbour FC, and Rajasthan United. Earlier this season, he joined East Bengal as a goalkeeping coach, but his tenure at the club was not without difficulties.
During the IFA Shield final derby, Sandeep decided to substitute Prabhsukhan Gill and field Debjit Majumdar only for the tiebreaker, a decision that ultimately did not succeed. Oscar Bruzon openly expressed his displeasure over this decision. Sandeep maintains that he repeatedly apologised, yet during the Super Cup in Goa, he was publicly humiliated in front of the players, prompting his resignation. He alleged that from the beginning, Oscar had viewed him with suspicion.
Now, those issues are behind him. Although India performed admirably in the Asian Cup qualification matches, the team ultimately failed to qualify. The focus now is on rebuilding and moving forward. It remains to be seen how Sandeep will collaborate with Naushad Moosa in this new national assignment.