Punjab FC coach Pavlos Dermitzakis says the club’s academy graduates are “not here just to complete the roster but to compete for the starting lineup”, Khel Now reported on 17 October 2026.
The coach
Dermitzakis, a Greek, was appointed on 13 July 2026 on a two-year contract. He replaced Panagiotis Dilmperis, who left to join Mohun Bagan Super Giant. He says he wants “good and attractive football” and believes the team “can compete for the championship”.
The youth numbers
- Squad: 10 academy graduates are in the 27-man squad for the 2026-27 ISL
- Minutes: the club’s Under-23 players had 7,100 minutes of playing time in the 2024-25 season
- Names: academy products include Muhammad Suhail, Rishikanta Meitei, Vishal Yadav and Bishu Sharma
The first match
In his ISL debut Dermitzakis’s team beat Odisha FC 2-1 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Messi Bouli scored both goals, including a last-kick winner, and Bishu Sharma provided an assist.
Quotes and figures are as reported by Khel Now.
Image: Players celebrating after winning a Youth I-League title (file photo). Photo by Temasseditor, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.