Following internal discussions during a board meeting on March 23, East Bengal announced that head coach Stephen Constantine will not be a part of the club from next season.
In a press release, the club also mentioned that they are in the process of finding Constantine’s successor and provided assurances to build a stronger team for the next campaign.
The English tactician arrived in Kolkata at the beginning of the 2022-23 season. Despite showing a few promising signs, East Bengal struggled for large parts of the season, winning only six of their twenty games.
Ultimately, they finished 9th in the standings, much to the dismay of the Red and Gold Brigade. Constantine, however, will remain in charge of the team for the upcoming Hero Super Cup tournament scheduled to be held in April.
East Bengal set to appeal for a drafting process in the Indian Super League
In addition to their decision to part ways with Constantine, East Bengal also revealed that they are considering writing a letter to the Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) regarding the introduction of a drafting system in the Indian Super League.
The drafting process was previously held at the start of the 2017-18 season when Jamshedpur FC and Bengaluru FC joined the ISL. The Kolkata giants, meanwhile, arrived in the Indian Super League in 2020 but did not receive an option to draft Indian players into their side.
They believe the FSDL should consider their appeal as the club can ultimately benefit from picking Indian stars. Moreover, since their introduction to the league, the Red and Gold Brigade have struggled for results, finishing ninth on two occasions and bottom of the league once.
East Bengal are set to enter a new era as the club attempts to improve their performances. It will also be interesting to witness FSDL’s response if the club sends in the demand regarding the ISL players' draft.