Football legend Bhowmick passes away

Great forward in his playing days, turned celebrated coach

East Bengal Coach Subhash Bhowmik Photo. File

Subhas Bhowmick, one of Indian football’s most vibrant personalities, passed away at a nursing home here on Saturday. He was 71.

The legendary forward’s fortitude and determination fetched the national side and the clubs he played for a host of laurels. The same drive was replicated in his later avatar as coach. The LG ASEAN Cup triumph that he fashioned as East Bengal coach is still regarded as one of the best feats by an Indian manager at the club level.

Bhowmick, known by his nickname ‘Bhombol’ among the football fraternity, represented the last generation of players who have witnessed India making a podium finish in a continental championship.

He prominently figured in the Indian team that won the 1970 Bangkok Asian Games bronze. He was also part of the Indian team that jointly won the Pesta Sukan Cup with South Vietnam in Singapore in 1971.

At a time when international engagements were few and far between, Bhowmick represented India in 24 internationals and scored nine goals.

He made an equally big impact as coach, winning the country’s top tournament — the I-League — twice with East Bengal and once with Goan giant Churchill Brothers.

Arriving in Kolkata (then Calcutta) from North Bengal’s Raigunj in the latter half of the 1960s, Bhowmick was successful as a winger in the four-forward system prevalent at that time.