Mohun Bagan Coach Shankarlal Chakraborty Steps Down After Defeat To Real Kashmir

Mohun Bagan coach Shankarlal Chakraborty on Sunday stepped down from his role after the Kolkata football giants registered a 1-2 defeat against debutants Real Kashmir in the I-League. "I've informed the club officials that I do not wish to stay anymore. Now it's up to the club to take a call," Chakraborty said at the post-match press conference. The coach said he would remain with the club until they rope in a replacement. Mohun Bagan has four back to back home games including the return leg of the Kolkata derby against East Bengal on January 27.

"We have a match (against defending champions Minerva Punjab) after three days. It will be difficult for the club to rope in someone. So I will continue till the club management decides of someone," he said.

Mohun Bagan has fared poorly at home this season, losing thrice including in the derby to East Bengal, and drawing twice from six matches.

This was the former champions' second successive defeat in the I-League after losing to Neroca FC as their title hopes are all but over.

"I'm not quitting out of pressure. I thought I gave my best but I'm unable to help the team make a turnaround," he said.

Chakraborty lamented that he was never in favour of having another foreign defender, saying the club has always played with one foreign recruit at the back.

"We always hade one foreign defender and one Indian. Belo (Rasaq), Luciano (Sabrosa), Eduardo (Ferreira), (Eze) Kingsley, and one Indian defender. We did not get Sukhdev (Singh) as he got injured.

"I am not being able to do anything. I have already told the club that I don't want to stay. The team has quality but maybe I am not being able to recognise it," he said.

(With IANS inputs)