Shillong Lajong sack Desmond Bulpin

Desmond Bulpin has been sacked as the head coach of Shillong Lajong after being in charge for seven months. Despite a positive start, Lajong have been in poor form lately as they are winless in nine games and have failed to score in their last four matches.

The north-eastern club dropped down to 12th place after their 1-0 defeat against Pailan Arrows on Sunday and it turned out to be the last game for Bulpin, who has previously coached the Arrows and the India U-23 side.

Assistant coach Thangboi Singto will be the interim coach for at least the next three matches (Air India, United Sikkim and Salgaocar) after which the I-League has a one-month break due to India’s participation in the AFC Challenge Cup 2014 qualifiers.

Lajong general secretary Larsing M Sawyan was quoted saying on the club’s official website, “Thangboi has been with the team since 2009 and has two and a half seasons of I League experience besides a stint in the second division in 2010/11 season, when Shillong Lajong qualified again in the I league. We have faith in his abilities.”

He added, “The club would like to place in record the valuable contributions of Desmond Bulpin in the youth development system of the club, which we believe will pay dividends in the near future. We thank him for his services and the commitment showed to the club. We wish him all the best for the future. Our immediate goal is to concentrate on the next two home games and the away game at Salgaocar before the break.”

With this sacking, Bulpin becomes the fifth coaching casualty of this I-League season.