Pune Pioneers FC appoint former East Bengal goalkeeper Avijit Ghosh as Goalkeeping Coach

The former professional goalkeeper, who represented East Bengal, Mumbai Tigers and Royal Wahingdoh, brings extensive playing experience and nearly a decade of specialist goalkeeping coaching experience to the Pune-based academy.

Pune Pioneers Football Club have strengthened their technical department with the appointment of former professional goalkeeper Avijit Ghosh as their new Goalkeeping Coach.

Ghosh will oversee goalkeeper development across all age groups in the club’s residential and non-residential academy programmes. His appointment brings valuable professional playing experience and years of specialised coaching expertise to the Pune-based football academy.

Having represented several established Indian clubs, including East Bengal FC, Air India FC, Mumbai Tigers and Royal Wahingdoh FC, Ghosh has experienced Indian football across different competitive levels.

A playing career featuring some of Indian football’s biggest clubs

Ghosh’s footballing journey took a significant step forward when he joined the prestigious Tata Football Academy in 2003. He spent four years at the academy before graduating in 2007.

He subsequently represented East Bengal FC in the I-League during the 2008–09 and 2009–10 seasons.

His association with the Kolkata giants coincided with a successful period for the club. Ghosh was part of the East Bengal squads that won the Federation Cup in the 2009–10 season and the Calcutta Football League Premier Division in 2010.

A penalty saving expert as a goalkeeper, he was also part of East Bengal’s Durand Cup runners-up campaign in 2009 and experienced continental football through participation in the AFC Cup in 2010.

After his spell at East Bengal, Ghosh represented Air India FC in the I-League during 2011–12 before joining Mumbai Tigers in 2012–13, where he was also part of a Durand Cup runners-up campaign.

His subsequent career included spells with Sreebhumi Samiti, Aryan FC and Royal Wahingdoh FC.

His time with Royal Wahingdoh proved another significant chapter, as the club finished third in the I-League during the 2014–15 season. He also experienced success in the Shillong Premier League, where the team finished runners-up.

Throughout his playing career, Ghosh had the opportunity to work under some of Indian football’s most renowned coaches, including Subhash Bhowmick, Bimal Ghosh, Santosh Kashyap, Godfrey Pereira and Philippe De Ridder and Ranjan Chowdhury.

These experiences provided him with exposure to different footballing philosophies, coaching environments and the demands of professional competition.

National championship success and international exposure

Ghosh’s achievements at youth level were equally noteworthy.

He was part of the Bengal team that won the U-16 National Championship in 2002, securing a gold medal. He followed this with another national championship triumph in 2006, winning the U-19 Dr B.C. Roy Trophy with Bengal.

His performances also earned him selection for the India U-19 international camp, which included a tour to Sri Lanka in 2006.

Earlier, in 2005, he travelled to England with the Tata Football Academy contingent and was part of the team that won the Wells Cup.

These achievements gave Ghosh exposure to national-level competition and international football environments during his formative years.

From professional footballer to specialist goalkeeping coach

Following his playing career, Ghosh transitioned into coaching, specialising in goalkeeper development.

His coaching journey began in 2017 with the Hooghly District Sports Association. Since then, he has worked with several organisations and clubs across West Bengal, gaining experience in youth football, district competitions and senior club football.

His coaching assignments include:

• Hooghly District Sports Association (2017–18).
• Kalyani Football League (2018–19).
• Kolkata Soccer Academy (2021).
• Suruchi Sangha – Calcutta Football League First Division (2022).
• Khidderpore SC – Calcutta Football League Premier Division (2023).
• Kalighat MS – Reliance Development League (2023).
• City AC – Calcutta Football League First Division (2024–25).
• George Telegraph FC – Calcutta Football League Premier Division (2024–25).
• SKM Sports Foundation – AIFF U-17 Youth League (2026).

His coaching experience across these teams has provided opportunities to work with goalkeepers in different competitive environments, from academy football to senior league structures.

Ghosh also holds an AIFF C Coaching Licence, complementing his experience as a former professional goalkeeper.

A familiar face joins Pune Pioneers FC

Ghosh’s appointment also reunites him professionally with Pune Pioneers FC Director Ryan Roy Shah, with whom he previously shared the Mumbai Tigers club environment during the 2012–13 season.

Their association has now developed into a professional collaboration, with Ghosh taking responsibility for an important specialised department within the Pune Pioneers academy.

A new chapter in Pune, away from his family in Kolkata

Ghosh’s decision to join Pune Pioneers FC involved a considerable personal commitment.

His wife and young child remain in Kolkata, while he has relocated to Pune to take up this opportunity.

His belief in the potential of the Pune Pioneers project and the opportunity to contribute to the development of young footballers played an important role in his decision.

Since joining the club, Ghosh has already conducted several training sessions with the academy’s goalkeepers. The initial response has been encouraging, with players appreciating the quality of coaching and fellow coaches observing positive improvements in the goalkeepers.

Pune Pioneers FC look to build a specialised goalkeeper development pathway

Pune Pioneers FC operate a residential football academy in Wagholi alongside a non-residential academy programme, catering to players across multiple age categories.

The club’s objective is to provide specialised coaching across different positions and create a structured development pathway for young footballers.

Goalkeeping requires a distinct approach to training, encompassing technical execution, positioning, decision-making, communication, physical development and psychological preparation.

With Ghosh now leading the goalkeeping department, the club will look to establish greater consistency in the development of its goalkeepers across all age groups.

For a former professional who has experienced the demands of the I-League, AFC Cup and competitive Indian football, the opportunity represents a chance to transfer his knowledge and experience to the next generation.

Ghosh’s appointment is another step in Pune Pioneers FC’s efforts to strengthen its technical structure and build an academy environment that places specialised player development at the centre of its philosophy.