Anthony Andrews joins U-17 women’s setup after a trophy-laden club career, bringing his experience in player development and continental success to the Young Tigresses.
Kolkata, August 26: Anthony Andrews has spent the last few years building a reputation as one of the defining coaches of Indian women’s club football. Now, after a period of remarkable success with Gokulam Kerala and East Bengal, he has been entrusted with a new responsibility, helping shape the next generation of Indian footballers.
The All India Football Federation has appointed Andrews as the assistant coach of the India U-17 women’s national team, with Joakim Alexandersson continuing as the head coach. Anthony will take up the role on a dual basis, continuing his responsibilities with East Bengal while also joining the national team setup.
The appointment comes after perhaps the most successful phase of his coaching career.
Anthony is already the most successful coach in Indian Women’s League history, with four IWL titles to his name. His journey began with Gokulam Kerala, where he guided the club to consecutive championships in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He then continued his winning run with East Bengal, leading the Moshal Girls to back-to-back IWL titles in 2024-25 and 2025-26.
But his recent success has gone well beyond domestic silverware. Under Andrews, East Bengal have established themselves as one of the leading forces in Indian women’s football and have increasingly made their presence felt on the continental stage. Last season, the club became the first Indian women’s team to win a match in the AFC Women’s Champions League group stage and also became the first Indian women’s club to qualify for the group stage in consecutive seasons.
East Bengal Women’s entered the AFC Women’s Champions League 2026-27 preliminary stage in Malaysia with the aim of returning to the main stage. Andrews’ side delivered a perfect campaign, finishing unbeaten and winning all three matches. The highlight was a stunning 12-0 victory, which became the highest-scoring result by an Indian club in the competition.
Three games, three wins and another continental qualification, another chapter added to Andrews’ growing record. He has also guided East Bengal to success beyond the IWL, leading the club to the SAFF Women’s Club Championship title last December.
And now, that experience has earned him a place in the Indian national team setup. The timing of the appointment is significant. Andrews is joining the U-17 women’s team at a stage when Blue Tigress are preparing for the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2027 qualifiers. The Young Tigresses are currently in Tashkent and are scheduled to face Uzbekistan in two international friendly matches on August 27 and 30.
The qualifiers will be held in Malaysia from October 5 to 11, with Blue Tigresses drawn in Group E alongside Malaysia, Syria and Iraq.
For Anthony, the new role brings a different kind of challenge. At club level, his success has been measured through championships, trophies and historic continental results. With the national team, the responsibility is broader, identifying young talent, developing players and helping prepare them for the future of Indian football.
Throughout his coaching career, he has worked across youth and senior football and has been involved in developing players who have gone on to represent India at different levels. His understanding of player development and talent identification will now be brought into the national setup alongside Alexandersson.
Andrews himself described the appointment as a “great honour and privilege”, while thanking the AIFF for its trust and confidence. He also spoke about his excitement at contributing to the development of the next generation of Indian footballers.
That makes his appointment more than a recognition of what he has achieved so far. It is also a reflection of the value of his experience, which he has been doing taken his reputation beyond India.
The coach who has spent years creating champions at club level will now help work with the players who could become India’s future stars. His trophies have already made history. Now, he has an opportunity to help shape what comes next for Blue Tigress women’s football.
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