The Unconventional Journey of a Man Utd Alum Who Coached Afghanistan

When Ashley Westwood revealed to his family that he would be taking the reins of Afghanistan's national team, their reaction was one of utter bewilderment. The British embassy in Kabul had ceased operations, and any life insurance policy was rendered null and void. For Westwood, however, this was just another challenge to be overcome. "I've never been one to shy away from a challenge," he confesses to Sky Sports. "Perhaps that's brave, or maybe it's just foolhardy – only time would tell. I simply felt I had nothing to lose, although that sounds reckless, given that my life was at stake. My family wasn't thrilled about it, but that's just the kind of person I've always been." Westwood, who began his playing career at Manchester United and later had a taste of the Premier League with Bradford City, has recently been appointed by Kerala Blasters in India. He has previously won two titles in the country with Bengaluru over a decade ago. However, it's his experiences in charge of Afghanistan and Hong Kong that evoke the most pride, rivaling the trophies he won in India. "I took over a team that was in shambles," he recalls. Afghanistan suffered a humiliating 8-1 defeat to Qatar in 2023, but Westwood's tenure marked a significant turnaround. Just over six months later, Afghanistan drew a World Cup qualifier against the same opposition, and they even managed to beat India on their home turf for the first time in their history. They were just minutes away from progressing to the next round. "It just goes to show that you can transform a team," Westwood notes. Coaching Afghanistan, ranked 159th in the world at the time, was more than just a coaching job – it was a logistical nightmare. "You had to handle everything yourself," Westwood explains. "I was tasked with finding players all over the world, booking flights, and organizing everything. It was grueling work." Despite the challenges, Westwood made an impact, improving the team's ranking. "Since they were part-time players, you could recruit them without their clubs blocking the move. However, a lot of time was spent on fitness training because they weren't fit enough. You could only gradually introduce tactical elements." He adds, "The Afghan players were eager to learn and improve, hanging onto every word. Premier League players might not be as attentive. I still receive messages from players asking when I'll return. The team has since dropped to 168 in the rankings." Westwood left Afghanistan in 2024 to take the reins of Hong Kong, which coincidentally was also ranked 159th in the world. The team had gone nine games without a win, but Westwood soon had them on a seven-game winning streak. "It starts to become a pattern – perhaps I should have been given a five-year contract!" Instead, he faced different political challenges, with complaints that he had not focused on domestic players. "I chose players who could win matches, including naturalized players who had played in China and Brazil." Westwood explains, "You're trying to raise the standards, and we climbed to 146 in the world rankings, only losing to teams within the top 50. There were 50,000 fans at the games. However, it's very political, and not many managers last more than six months." Westwood appreciated certain aspects of the job, such as the logistics staff, professional players, and a proper calendar. However, he didn't enjoy the rigid structure. "You were on a Chinese government contract and had to be in the office every day. I felt like a London banker commuting." It's not that he didn't want to put in the work – "nobody works harder" – but he resented the notion of being tied to a clock. "When you work in football, you're used to maintaining standards," a mentality instilled in him from his early days at Manchester United. Westwood remains close friends with Michael Appleton, whom he knew from the academy and later worked with at Portsmouth. On a recent visit home, he attended Terry Yorath's funeral and caught up with old friends. He still follows the English game, particularly Manchester United, where he knows assistant head coach Steve Holland from their time at Crewe Alexandra. "You always expect a bounce, but the players seem to be enjoying it. They're doing something right," "Football has become far more technical now. In the past, it was about finding the best players and keeping everyone motivated through team spirit. But football is still about building connections and relationships, even now." Westwood has worked as an analyst in Asia, providing tactical analysis on touchscreens and covering World Cups and European leagues. "There's so much exposure to tactics now that everyone thinks they're a specialist. As a coach, you have to adapt to the times." Westwood is doing more than just keeping up – he's traveling the world. Is there a part of him that wishes he could have stayed in England and worked his way up the traditional route? "You can't always choose your path in football," "There are many roads to success. Some go through the academies and end up in the Premier League, but that's not for everyone. I still aspire to reach the top. For me, coaching national teams and having different experiences is the way to go. I've seen everything this game can throw at you, and there's no ideal route in football. Those who think they can pick and choose their way through it are deluded. I'm always open to learning – there's always something new to discover."