Former Indian footballers, like some of their more illustrious counterparts in the West, are on the cusp of taking the next big leap in their careers, becoming head coaches in top-flight clubs.

A clutch of them are among the 16 who will complete their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Pro Diploma coaching course in Japan for the last of the five modules beginning next month.

Former India players Rennedy Singh, Shanmugham Venkatesh, Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Ishfaq Ahmed and Noel Wilson will earn the badge that would make them eligible to become head coaches in Indian Super League (ISL) clubs. Mehraj is now the head coach of I-League club Mohammedan Sporting, Rennedy is a director in the Imphal-based Classic Football Academy while Ishfaq was the Indian assistant coach at Kerala Blasters. Venkatesh was Stephen Constantine’s deputy in East Bengal last season.

Eighteen coaches appeared for the first module in May 2022, but two will not be part of the Japan jaunt.

Bibiano Fernandes is with the under-17 India squad in Europe on an exposure trip, while Alex Ambrose had to drop out after an alleged sexual harassment case.

The group was supposed to travel to Germany in October last year but India’s brief ban by Fifa in August halted their plans. They will now leave for Tokyo on June 23 for the fifth module, which will start two days later and last for 10-12 days. Each of the coaches has spent Rs 7-8 lakh for the course.

Sixtytwo-year-old Sanjoy Sen said even though the course was lengthy, it was an eye-opener.

“The brief ban on India last year delayed the course. Otherwise, we would have got our badge by April. Now the results would be out in July or August. But this course has helped me a lot. I got to exchange notes with some of the players I had coached during their playing days. I think this one of the best groups of coaches in recent times who will get the top badge,” Sen, who coached Mohun Bagan to I-League triumph in May 2015, said on Wednesday.

Rennedy also sounded excited. “Japan being a powerhouse in Asian football and given their superb performance during the Qatar World Cup, I am sure it will be a great learning experience for us,” he said from Mumbai.

Mehraj hoped that the pro licence would help them get a head coach’s job in an ISL club. “I am hopeful. But for that, the mentality of clubs will have to change. Clubs should have more faith in Indian coaches which at present is not the case.”

Agreed Ishfaq. “We hardly get a chance. This degree will not mean anything if the ISL teams do not hire Indian coaches for the top job. We have degrees but no job,” the former Blasters assistant coach lamented.

Recently, former India player Clifford Miranda guided unheralded Odisha FC to Super Cup triumph but the club has appointed Spaniard Sergio Lobera as head coach. “This is the sad reality of Indian football,” Ishfaq rued.