Maldives National Football Team’s former coach Darren Stewart passes away

Darren Stewart, the former Maldives National Football Team coach, passed away at 52 on Thursday.

The Australian national became the national football team’s coach in August 2016 and the team reached the Asian Cup’s qualification group stage under his instruction.

The football association renewed his contract in March of last year to target the team qualifying for the Asian Cup and winning the SAAF Championship. However, Steward’s contract was terminated after negotiations in the following November following the team’s poor performance in the Asian Cup.

Stewart began his football career as a defender in Newcastle Rosebud before playing for APIA Leichhardt and moving on to Newcastle Breakers where he won his first international cap for the Australian national team. He went on to make three appearances for the Socceroos before moving to Southeast Asia and playing for Johor FA and then Balestier Khalsa in Singapore.

After retiring as a player, Stewart began his coaching career as a youth coach at Balestier Khalsa. He then joined Geylang International and later became the assistant coach of the S.League.

Stewart got his first head coach role in Gombak United and spent four years in the club until rejoining the Tigers, where he won the 2013 Singapore League Cup and placed fourth and sixth place in the 2013 and 2012 season.