Joao D''Melio started his coaching career with Panvel Sports Club Ribandar which lifted the Bandodkar GOld Trophy in 1974 as the squeezed past Sesa Goa 2-1 in the final. A number of promising youngsters worked hard under his guidance and made a good name for themselves in due course of time Panvel became the nursery of Goan football and enjoyed tremendous public support. They were one of the leading sides in the Senior Division League and put up a good showin in major tournaments such as the Rovers Cup, Madura Coats etc.

Joao joined Salgaocar in 1975 and helped them to regain the Senior Division League championship after a prolonged gap. Salgaocar also finished as runners-up to Tata Sports Club in the Nizam Gold Trophy during the same season.

Then he was associated with Sesa Goa which won the Bandodkar Gold Trophy, defeating Salgaocar by a solitary goal in the replayed final after an exciting 2-2 draw in the original meeting in 1978. Sesa Goa became the joint winner of the Bandodkar Gold Trophy in 1979 and went on to win such outstation tournaments as Vi zag Trophy, Cochin Customs and Central Excise Cup, the Sikkim Governor''s Gold Cup and the Madura Coats Trophy.