Syed Sabir Pasha

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Syed Sabir Pasha

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Syed Sabir Pasha{{cite news |first=Sooraj |last=Kamath |url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/father-son-duo-to-have-graced-indian-football/5o84721k8pnt1ktbxc47igp19 |title=Father-son duos to have graced Indian football |website=Goal.com |date=9 April 2020 |access-date=2 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200424060223/https://www.goal.com/en/amp/news/father-son-duo-to-have-graced-indian-football/5o84721k8pnt1ktbxc47igp19 |archive-date=24 April 2020 |url-status=dead}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1972|11|5}}

| birth_place = Madras, Tamil Nadu, India

| height =

| position = Forward

| currentclub = AIFF (technical director)

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1991–2007

| clubs1 = Indian Bank

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1999–2000

| clubs2 = Dhaka Abahani

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| nationalyears1 = 1993–2001

| nationalteam1 = India

| nationalcaps1 = 68

| nationalgoals1 =

| manageryears1 = 2007–2014

| managerclubs1 = Indian Bank

| manageryears2 = 2012–2014

| managerclubs2 = Tamil Nadu

| manageryears3 = 2014–2016

| managerclubs3 = AIFF Elite Academy

| manageryears4 = 2016–

| managerclubs4 = Chennaiyin (assistant)

| manageryears5 = 2017

| managerclubs5 = Chennaiyin (caretaker)

| manageryears6 = 2022–2023

| managerclubs6 = Chennaiyin (interim coach)

| manageryears7 = 2023–

| managerclubs7 = AIFF (technical director)

| medaltemplates-expand = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{Medal|Country|{{fb|IND}}}}

}}

Syed Sabir Pasha (born 5 November 1972) is a former Indian football player and current technical director at the All India Football Federation. During his playing days, Pasha played for Indian Bank in the National Football League from 1991 to 2007 and represented India between 1993 and 2001.{{Cite web |author=Arunava Chaudhary |title=The Indian Senior Team at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/specials/india/indianteam/1998asiangames.html |access-date=24 August 2021 |website=indianfootball.de |publisher=Indian Football Network |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222164336/http://www.indianfootball.de/specials/india/indianteam/1998asiangames.html |archive-date=22 December 2015 |url-status=dead}}

Playing career

Born in Tamil Nadu, Pasha started his career with Indian Bank in 1991.{{cite web |title=Sabir Pasha calls it quits |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-sports/article1786401.ece |website=The Hindu |accessdate=11 December 2014 |archive-date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816123758/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-sports/Sabir-Pasha-calls-it-quits/article14709913.ece |url-status=live}} With Indian Bank, he won several titles including 2001–02 I-League Second Division,{{Cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/india02.html |title=India 2001/02 |access-date=3 February 2021 |website=RSSSF |archive-date=22 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022040100/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/india02.html |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=National Football League Second Division |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nfl2.html |website=indianfootball.de |access-date=16 August 2021 |archive-date=26 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026081440/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nfl2.html |url-status=live}} Chennai Super League,[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/india98.html India regional tournaments 1997/98] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723193639/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/india98.html |date=23 July 2020 }} Rsssf. Retrieved 16 August 2021{{Cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/india-reg05.html |title=India 2005 Regional Championships |access-date=18 February 2021 |website=RSSSF |archive-date=30 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430225834/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/india-reg05.html |url-status=live}} Tamil Nadu State League.{{cite web |first=Arunava |last=Chaudhuri |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/local/tnsl2004.html |title=4th Tamil Nadu State Ranking Tournament 2004 |website=indianfootball.de |access-date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060902115414/http://www.indianfootball.de/local/tnsl2004.html |archive-date=2 September 2006 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |first=Arunava |last=Chaudhuri |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/local/tnsl2005-06.html |title=5th Tamil Nadu State Ranking Tournament 2005/06 |website=indianfootball.de |access-date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060902115632/http://www.indianfootball.de/local/tnsl2005-06.html |archive-date=2 September 2006 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |first=Arunava |last=Chaudhuri |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/local/tnsl2007.html |title=6th Tamil Nadu State Ranking Tournament 2007 |website=indianfootball.de |access-date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816113745/http://www.indianfootball.de/local/tnsl2007.html |archive-date=16 August 2021 |url-status=dead}} He also won Lal Bahadur Shastri Cup in 1998[http://www.indianfootball.de/data/lalbahadurshastricup.html List of Winners/Runners-Up of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Cup:] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315014206/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/lalbahadurshastricup.html |date=15 March 2016 }} indianfootball.de. Retrieved 15 August 2021 and finished runners-up in 1996 Scissors Cup.[http://www.indianfootball.de/data/scissorscup.html List of Winners/Runners-Up of the Scissors Cup: Kerala] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024223324/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/scissorscup.html |date=24 October 2020 }} indianfootball.de. Retrieved 15 August 2021[http://www.jctfootball.com/aboutUs/recordsAndStats/listofWinners/scissorsCupListOfWinners.aspx?a=5 List of Winners/Runners-Up of the Scissors Cup] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421201511/http://www.jctfootball.com/aboutUs/recordsAndStats/listofWinners/scissorsCupListOfWinners.aspx?a=5 |date=21 April 2017 }} jctfootball.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021

Pasha played for Bangladeshi club Abahani Limited Dhaka in the Dhaka Premier League from 1999 to 2000.{{Cite web |title=Chennai's Pasha wary of Abahani |url=https://www.newagebd.net/article/72365/article/35972 |access-date=10 December 2023 |website=newagebd.net |publisher=New Age Bangladesh |language=en |date=14 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231210124611/https://www.newagebd.net/article/72365/article/35972 |archive-date=10 December 2023 |location=Dhaka}}{{cite web |url=https://chennaiyinfc.com/syed-sabir-pasha-reminisces-abahani-playing-days-on-dhaka-return/ |title=Syed Sabir Pasha reminisces Abahani playing days on Dhaka return |date=14 May 2019 |access-date=28 July 2024 |work=Chennaiyin Football Club |archive-date=15 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815025449/https://chennaiyinfc.com/syed-sabir-pasha-reminisces-abahani-playing-days-on-dhaka-return/}}

Pasha later represented Tamil Nadu in competitions such as the Santosh Trophy where he was top scorer in the entire competition during the 1996 and 1999 seasons. Pasha never played football at a semi-professional level in the hotbeds of Indian football of Kolkata and Goa at the time. East Bengal, at one time, did attempt to sign Pasha but Pasha rejected in order to stay with Indian Bank.{{cite web |last1=Suryanarayan |first1=S.R. |title=Missing the bus to stardom? |url=http://www.thehindu.com/mp/2003/09/11/stories/2003091100320400.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141211200306/http://www.thehindu.com/mp/2003/09/11/stories/2003091100320400.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 December 2014 |website=The Hindu |date=11 September 2003 |accessdate=11 October 2014}}

On 23 January 2007, it was announced that Pasha had retired from playing football.

International career

Pasha first began representing India at the international level in 1993. His most notable moment when playing for the national team was in 1995 when he scored the winning goal against Bangladesh in the 1995 South Asian Games final to win India the gold medal.

It was always wondered if whether Pasha representing a team in Tamil Nadu was going against him or not in terms of his standing with the national team. Despite his good performances with the national team whenever he played, Pasha only played a full-game with the national team on a couple of occasions.

Coaching career

=Indian Bank and Tamil Nadu=

After retiring from playing football, Pasha went on to become the coach of Indian Bank.{{cite news |title=Syed Sabir Pasha gets 'A' licence |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-sports/syed-sabir-pasha-gets-a-licence/article731448.ece |website=The Hindu |date=18 March 2010 |access-date=11 December 2014 |archive-date=7 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407015414/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-sports/Syed-Sabir-Pasha-gets-lsquoA-licence/article16004242.ece |url-status=live}} In 2010, Pasha received his AFC "A" License after completing the course in Japan. In 2012, he was appointed as the head coach of the Tamil Nadu football team for the Santosh Trophy.{{cite web |title=Syed Sabir Pasha dreams big, wants trophy |url=http://archive.asianage.com/football/syed-sabir-pasha-dreams-big-wants-trophy-191 |website=Asian Age |access-date=11 December 2014 |archive-date=22 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422213949/http://archive.asianage.com/football/syed-sabir-pasha-dreams-big-wants-trophy-191 |url-status=live}} In his very first season as head coach, Pasha bought Tamil Nadu to the final of the 2012 Santosh Trophy but could not help his side win as they fell to Services 2–3.{{cite web |last1=Noronha |first1=Anselm |title=Services beat Tamil Nadu 3-2 to be crowned 66th Santosh Trophy champions |url=http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/136/india/2012/05/28/3132675/services-beat-tamil-nadu-3-2-to-be-crowned-66th-santosh |website=Goal.com |access-date=11 December 2014}}

=AIFF Elite Academy=

Before the 2014–15 I-League U19 season, Pasha was confirmed as the head coach of the AIFF Elite Academy.{{cite web |title=U19 I-LEAGUE FOCUS: AIFF ELITE ACADEMY |url=http://i-league.org/u19-i-league-focus-aiff-elite-academy/ |website=I-League |accessdate=11 December 2014 |archive-date=11 December 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141211200240/http://i-league.org/u19-i-league-focus-aiff-elite-academy/ |url-status=live}}

=Chennaiyin=

On 17 February 2016, it was announced that Pasha had signed with Chennaiyin FC as their assistant coach and head of grassroots development.{{cite news |last1=Sriram |first1=Ramachandran |title=Chennaiyin FC replaces Vivek Nagul with Syed Sabir Pasha as assistant coach |url=http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/7083/isl/2016/02/17/20433542/indian-super-league-chennaiyin-fc-replaces-vivek-nagul-with-syed- |accessdate=26 February 2016 |work=Goal.com |date=17 February 2016 |archive-date=21 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160221205130/http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/7083/isl/2016/02/17/20433542/indian-super-league-chennaiyin-fc-replaces-vivek-nagul-with-syed- |url-status=live}}