Four Indian Women's League titles at the age of 29. Anthony Andrews is creating waves in the football circuit.

On Tuesday, he guided Emami East Bengal women's team to the second IWL title in as many years. East Bengal have lost just one match of the 12 they have played so far, scoring 40 goals and conceding just five. No doubt they are the team to beat in women's football.

Last year's was the first league title (men's and women's combined) the club had won in 21 years. East Bengal had lifted the National Football League in 2003-04 under Subhas Bhowmick. And guess how old Andrews was then? "I was seven," he told The Telegraph on Wednesday.

Andrews was returning to his hotel in New Town since East Bengal had a Calcutta Women's Football League match, less than 24 hours after the IWL success. They again play an IWL match on Friday, followed by a local league encounter a day later. "It's crazy," Andrews said.

Playing two matches in less than 24 hours gives the real picture of Indian women's football, where fixtures are drawn without giving much thought to players' recovery time. Andrews, however, now has the advantage of resting players for the IWL and focusing fully on retaining the local league title.

Andrews, who won two IWL titles with Gokulam Kerala FC — 2021-22 and 2022-23 — before East Bengal roped him in, felt this year's success would change the popular perception that being a young coach he cannot handle the pressure. He also thought this title would help him achieve his dream of coaching the senior national team, men's or women's.

"This title should break the barrier. There is an idea that I, being just 29, am not ready for the top job. But that is a misnomer. If you are good, you are good at any age," he said.

Andrews is doing his AFC Pro-Licence course now. "One module is already completed and the second starts from June," the Pep Guardiola fan informed.

Andrews came into coaching after suffering two anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears in his right knee. "I started as a coach at the age of 16. Initially, I did not know if I had the capabilities to be a manager. But with time, I realised I am up for it," he said.

Born in Bhusawal, a city in the Jalgaon district of Maharashtra, football did not run in Andrews's family.

"In school, I was playing, and then my parents thought I could be a footballer. But the lack of football education hindered my growth. For example, when I had suffered the knee injury for the first time, I did not even know there was something called the ACL. That's why I always insist players should focus on education too," Andrews, who now stays in Vasai, near Mumbai, said.

Andrews' contract ends on May 31, but he is not losing his sleep over an extension. "The matches are on, there is no time to think about anything else. If I stay, I stay."

One thing he hopes for is that football in India gets more investors. "That is the most important thing. Women's football particularly needs more attention. We need a roadmap now."