East Bengal formally severed its association with coach Khalid Jamil on Thursday citing the “miserable performance” of the team as a reason for his early dismissal. The club had signed a two-year deal with Jamil last season after he guided Aizawl FC to the I-League title.
Looking to replicate the success of the North-Eastern side, East Bengal faltered in its venture to win the I-League title before losing the Super Cup final to Bengaluru FC.
“We were impressed by the work Jamil did with Aizawl FC and wanted him to guide East Bengal to similar glory. Despite his best intentions he could not inspire the team to perform to the desired level. Hence, we have mutually decided to part ways,” said Kalyan Majumdar, the secretary of the club.
Subhash Bhowmick, the man who helped East Bengal to its last National Football League (the previous name of I-League) title in 2004, has been retained as technical director.
Bhowmick, an East Bengal stalwart during his playing days, has also been entrusted with the task of finding a “qualified” coach according to his preference while selecting the new squad for the upcoming season. The club is expected to announce its new coach soon.