Stephen Constantine

Stephen Constantine (born 16 October 1962) is an English professional football coach and former player who is the manager of the Pakistan national team.

Constantine was born on 16 October 1962 in London.

He is of Greek-Cypriot descent.

He is a fan of English club Arsenal.

Constantine is married and has three daughters; his family were living in Cyprus while he was coaching in Sudan.

Constantine played in the United States for the Pennsylvania Stoners and the New York Pancyprian-Freedoms.

He retired from playing at the age of 26, following a serious knee injury.

After retiring from playing, Constantine spent his early coaching career in the United States and Cyprus.

Constantine coached the Nepal national team between 1999 and 2001, and was awarded a medal by the country's King.

Constantine was then manager of the India national team from 2002 to 2005.

He also guided the Indian team winning silver medal at the 2003 Afro-Asian Games.

After leaving India he was the first-team coach for English club Millwall during the 2005–06 season.

He has also worked in England for AFC Bournemouth.

In January 2007, he was on a two-man shortlist, alongside Carlos Alberto da Luz, for the manager's job of the Malawi national team.

He was named as Malawi manager in February 2007, with the role beginning on 1 March 2007.

He resigned in April 2008.

He became manager of the Sudan national team in February 2009.

After leaving Sudan he managed in the Cypriot domestic leagues with APEP and Nea Salamis Famagusta, the latter of which he guided to promotion in the Cypriot First Division.

He was also manager of Ethnikos Achna from December 2012 to February 2013.

In July 2013, he was linked with the Jamaica national team vacancy.

He became the assistant manager of Greek club Apollon Smyrni in November 2013.

He set up the British Coaches Abroad Association in November 2013.

He became manager of the Rwanda national team in May 2014, taking charge of his first match in June.

In December 2014 Rwanda attained their highest ever ranking, of 68th position.

In December 2014, it was reported that Constantine would become the next head coach of India again, after Wim Koevermans' contract ran out.

He would beat the favourite for the position, Ricki Herbert.

Later that month he was linked with a return to India as their new national manager, and in early January 2015 he was offered the position.

On 16 January 2015, it was confirmed that Constantine had returned to take over India for a second stint.

His first match as India head coach came on 12 March 2015 in the qualifier against Nepal at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium.

Two goals from Sunil Chhetri lead India to a 2–0 victory and lead going into the second leg in Kathmandu.

A 0–0 draw at the Dasarath Rangasala Stadium saw India progress to the next round of World Cup/Asian Cup qualifying.

As a result of India's top results against Nepal, the country saw a rise by 26 in the April FIFA World Rankings to 147.

In April 2015, it was announced that India would be placed in Group D for the World Cup/Asian Cup qualifiers with Asia's top side, Iran, as well as Oman, Turkmenistan, and Guam.

India came bottom of the group, winning only one game.

He stated his aim was to build a team strong enough to challenge for the 2016 African Nations Championship, which Rwanda were due to host.

In January 2016, Constantine led India to the SAFF Championship title, beating Afghanistan 2–1 in the final.

In 2016 he rejected the opportunity to manager English League One club Port Vale.

He led India to 100th in the FIFA rankings as of June 2017.

The win against Kyrgyzstan in June was India's eighth in a row.

The unbeaten streak ran to 13 games, including 11 wins, but ended with a 2–1 defeat to Kyrgyzstan in March 2018.