Derrick Pereira

Derrick Pereira
Personal information
Full nameDerrick Pereira
Date of birth17 March 1962
Place of birthGoa, India
Playing positionDefender
Club information
Current team
Salgaocar(manager)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1980-1983Salgaocar
1983-1984Tata Football Academy
1986-1999Salgaocar
Teams managed
2000-2005Vasco SC
2005-2009Mahindra United
2009-2013Pune FC
2013-presentSalgaocar
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Derrick Pereira, (born 17 March 1962 in Goa), is an Indian association football manager and former player, who has managed Indian I-League side Pune FC since 2009. He is currently Salgaocar manager.

Pereira began his long lived playing career, moving to two different Indian clubs in the space of three years, the last of which being Salgaocar SC in 1985. He briefly managed top flight club Mahindra United.

At Pune, Pereira became the first non-British manager to manage Pune FC.

Playing career

Pereira's story began in the late 1970s when he started playing for local Goa clubs as a Child (Antao Brothers). His first move to a top club was with Salgaocar SC in 1980 where he stayed on till 1983. Later he moved on to Tata Football Academy and then back to Salgaocar SC in 1985. He stayed on at Salgaocar till the end of his career in 1999.[1] Amongst the highlights of his career were leading Goa to victory in the 1980 Junior National Championship. Another highlight was leading Salgaocar to a win in the 1990 Rovers Cup which the team won after downing Dempo SC in the final. He was also part of the senior India side from 1984-91.[1] He was also the part of national team which features in 1984 AFC Asian Cup.

Coaching career

Pereira's coaching career began when he began coaching Salgaocar u-19. That was a job which he held for two seasons. Next came coaching the first team at Vasco SC which he did for five seasons till 2005. Another prominent assignment was coaching Mahindra United from 2005 to 09. Then on June 9, 2009 Pereira signed on with Pune FC, where he has now managed for two seasons, leading them to top-five finishes in each season.[1] At the start of 2013-14 I-League campaign Salgaocar replaced David Booth with Derrick Pereira. Salgaocar started the 2013-14 I-League brightly and at one time led the table for 6 gameweeks, but a rough patch of 8 games, which included 4 straight losses, derailed their campaign and saw them lose the title to Bengaluru FC. Salgaocar finished their campaign at 3rd place, which was a marked improvement over their past two campaign finishes.[2][3]

References