After unsuccessful stints with Gokulam Kerala and Aizawl FC, Gift Raikhan is back at the club where he enjoyed success.
During his playing days, he played for clubs like HAL, Churchill Brothers and Vasco. He used to play as a left back.
After retiring in 2007 Raikhan joined the Youth System at Pune. From 2008 to 2010 Raikhan was assistant to Norbert Gonsalvez in coaching the u17 and u15 teams. In 2011, he was promoted to head coach of the Pune F.C. Academy U20 side and in 2012 led the team to a championship by finishing first in the 2012 I-League U20. In September 2013 it was confirmed that Raikhan had been promoted to the first-team at Pune F.C. as the assistant to new head coach Mike Snoei.
In 2015, He joined NEROCA FC. In I League 2nd division 2016-17, NEROCA won I League 2nd division. Out of the 16 games, they won 12 and only lost one match. In their debut I League season, They were runner-ups in with 32 points. They missed out on title on 3 points. Minerva won the I League with 35 points that season.
In June 2018, Aizawl F.C. announced signing of Raikhan as head coach for 2018-19 I-League. He didn’t succeed there and then moved to Gokulam Kerela where he acted as Technical Director for sometime and then became the head coach in the season end.
It will be interesting to see things shape up at NEROCA in the upcoming season.