Amid reports of Khalid Jamil being appointed as the new head coach of Kolkata giants East Bengal, the club’s head of recruitment Debabrata Sarkar has denied all speculation linking the I-League-winning coach to the Red and Gold Brigade hot seat.
Jamil, who won the Syed Abdul Rahim Award for Best Coach in I-League 2016-17, has been widely tipped to take over at East Bengal following the Red and Golds' tumultuous last campaign. East Bengal sacked Trevor Morgan midway through last season and has ever since been on the lookout for the Englishman’s replacement.
Sarkar stressed the local media that nothing has been finalised yet regarding the managerial situation at East Bengal and also suggested that unfounded rumours are not spread at this juncture which could have a negative impact on negotiations.
The Red and Golds have approached Jamil but no agreement has been reached yet. The Aizawl head coach is currently on a vacation and will respond once he's back. Sarkar had held talks with Jamil in Mumbai on the sidelines of the AIFF awards gala on Thursday.
East Bengal had a 2016-17 season to forget as their title challenge fell by the wayside in the final third of the campaign. Furthermore, the Red and Golds were knocked out of the 2017 Federation Cup by fierce local rivals Mohun Bagan as they endured a trophyless season. After Morgan’s sacking in mid-April, the club’s form has been indifferent, with a majority of their star players losing their early-season edge.
Jamil, who led Aizawl FC to a surprise I-League title win, is one of the most wanted Indian coaches out there, but sources close to Aizawl have also confirmed that reports linking him to the bigger clubs are rumours at this stage.
Further developments are expected to unfold in the coming days, but, as Sarkar said, Jamil is a long way from being appointed East Bengal’s head coach. Mohun Bagan head coach Sanjoy Sen has also been approached by the East Bengal hierarchy as a potential appointment, with the 2014-15 I-League winner already handing the Red and Golds his list of players to be signed.
East Bengal have been on a recruitment spree after the end of the Federation Cup, having signed four league winners from Aizawl already. They have signed Mahmoud Al Amna, Brandon Vanlalremdika, Lalramchullova and Eze Kingsley from the Mizoram outfit, and getting Jamil on board will amount to a mass exodus from Aizawl to East Bengal.
It remains to be seen who ends up in the East Bengal hot seat, but whoever comes in will have a challenging task in their hands to lead the Red and Golds to their first I-League title. It is also uncertain whether the club will be part of I-League next season as talks are going on regarding their inclusion in the Indian Super League (ISL).
East Bengal have been victims of a kneejerk recruitment policy in the recent past, therefore, making the right appointment this early in post-season will go a long way in deciding their fate on the pitch in the future.
