Ahead of the upcoming I-League season, Lajong FC appointed former player and long-time club associate Birendra Thapa as the club’s new head coach. Popularly known as Coach Biru, Thapa brings with him nearly two decades of experience, having been associated with the club since 2001 in multiple roles, including player, team manager, and assistant coach.
Thapa played for the club from 2001 to 2009 and was part of the historic squad that qualified for the 2009-10 I-League season. After retiring from professional football, Thapa served as the team manager and assistant coach for ten years until 2019. From 2020 to 2024, he gained valuable coaching experience at the national level as an assistant coach with Mohammedan Sporting Club and Sreenidi Deccan.
In 2024, he returned to Shillong Lajong FC as an assistant coach for the previous I-League season. Additionally, the club announced George Vannie Lyngdoh Nongrang as the new assistant coach. George, a former youth player for the club between 2013 and 2017, rejoined the coaching staff in 2024.