Schoolyard rebel who became coach at 21: Naomi recalls principal’s dare, tips France for World Cup

Ten years on, Naomi is equipped with a licence from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and presently coaches the girls’ football teams across age categories at The Bishop’s School (Undri), Pune. The AFC licensing, incidentally, permits her to coach anywhere on the continent.

Transition from player to coach

Naomi’s first tryst with coaching arrived unexpectedly in 2011, when her coach at St Mary’s, Manoharan, asked her to run warm-up drills and guide the school lineup. At the time, she was a junior college student at Fergusson College.

After completing her BA degree, Naomi took a leap of faith and applied for a Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Coaching (Football) at the Sports Authority of India (SAI), entering the program as its youngest student. While most of her peers were retired professionals transitioning into their second careers, Naomi stood out.

“I think the interview panel liked my simple response that we needed better coaches in the country,” Naomi recalled.

By that point, her playing credentials were already formidable. She had turned out for the Pune FC women’s team in 2017 and represented Pune University in both the Women’s West Zone Football Inter-University Championship and the Women’s All India Football Inter-University Championship.

The fear factor

Coaching Under-12 and Under-14 boys to goalkeeping at Loyola High School was a daunting task for a woman in her early 20s. “It took time, patience, and persistence for me to earn respect from the players and others. I remained committed, showed up every day, and focused entirely on helping the players develop,” Naomi said.

When asked about the tactical and psychological differences between managing male and female squads, Naomi offered a sharp insight:
“In football, you need to put some fear into the boys to get the best out of them. On the other hand, you need to take the fear out of girls to get them to perform well.”

Her resume has since expanded far beyond Pune. Alongside a stint with the girls’ teams at Vidya Bhavan High School, Naomi served as the manager and goalkeeper coach for the Under-13 boys’ teams at the prestigious Dempo Sports Club in Goa.
She later stepped onto the international stage as the national team manager for the Indian Under-17 girls’ team, travelling for the SAFF Cup in Bangladesh and the AFC Championship qualifiers in Kyrgyzstan.

Proving her administrative versatility, she also acted as the official team liaison officer for the German national team during the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup held in India in 2022.

Naomi Vase with her trainees (Express photo/Special arrangement).

From strategies to managing panic attacks

The challenges Naomi faces on the modern touchline extend well beyond basic tactical drills.

“I have to plan my sessions well in advance, develop effective match strategies, and also keep my own expectations in check,” she said. “There are times when I have to de-escalate fights among players on the pitch, and even handle panic attacks and emotional breakdowns in the dressing room. Managing these psychological challenges is simply part of the game, although a very critical aspect of coaching.”

Heart says Germany, head says France

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 currently underway, who does the AFC-certified tactician back to lift the ultimate prize?

“I personally prefer the tactical playing style of the Germans. I’m absolutely thrilled that veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was convinced to come out of retirement to anchor their defence,” Naomi said.

“But looking at the squads objectively, I feel France is the most well-rounded outfit. My head says they remain the top contenders for the Cup.”