Panaji: Yan Law simply laughs when it’s suggested to him that he should be on the field, rather than on the sidelines shouting instructions to the players.

At 26, most footballers are in the prime of their careers, looking for that last good contract and possibly a final flourish. Yet, Yan is different. He was a very good player, even represented India at the junior level, but he’s now out to make a name for himself as a coach.

“I still want to play, but I really enjoy coaching. There is so much to do. When you play, you have to look at only yourself. As a coach, you are worried about the entire squad. It’s a different thrill,” Yan told TOI on Saturday.

On Sunday, when Punjab FC take on the might of Churchill Brothers FC at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Yan will have a pride of place. He is India’s youngest coach to hold the A coaching licence from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and will now become the youngest to take charge of an I-League side.

“I don’t feel any pressure (for the opening game). I am pretty confident. We have good players here and I enjoy plenty of support from all four sides. We have the players that we wanted. There is a mix of talented youngsters and foreign players. Everything is looking perfect,” said Yan, who belongs to a Chinese immigrant family from Kolkata.

Yan’s coaching CV includes the likes of Calcutta United, Bengal Santosh Trophy team and Mohammedan Sporting (youth coach). Starting out with a salary of Rs 500 in the fifth division with Calcutta United, Yan got the team promoted, then tasted success with Bengal’s Santosh Trophy team and is now keen to make a mark with Punjab FC.

“Every day is a learning experience. I learn from everyone. The coaching process is the same everywhere, so it wouldn’t scare me to be up against foreign coaches or big names. As coaches, our job is to implement our philosophy.

“I joined Punjab for the AFC Cup, but this is a completely different side. We have changed almost 90 percent of the squad. The standard (in the AFC Cup) wasn’t good, but it’s completely different now. Our playing style has been changed too,” said Yan, a big fan of Pep Guardiola and Juergen Klopp.