Kolkata, Sep 29 (IANS) Famed soccer club Mohun Bagan Thursday claimed it has no intention to sack chief coach Stephen David Darby because of the outfit’s poor show in the Federation Cup but the officials were a few days ago forced to knock on the doors of a replacement due to the illness of the incumbent’s mother.
‘We had no plans to change coach. But a situation so developed that we were forced to think of a change in coach. Darby informed us that his mother is afflicted with cancer and he might have to go home if her condition turned critical,’ club president Swapan Sadhan Bose told reporters.
‘In that situation we were forced to think of an alternative and spoke to Subrata Bhattacharya. But Wednesday Darby told us that as per report, his mother’s disease is at a very primary stage. So we have decided to continue with him,’ Bose said.
There was lot of speculation over the past few days that Bagan were about to sack Darby after the club made an unceremonious exit from the Federation Cup – a tournament they have won 13 times – from the group league with defeats to rookies Royal Wahingdoh and Lajong. Mohun Bagan got only one point from the three outings.
However, that things were not as hunky dory between the coach and Mohun Bagan as the officials would have the public believe became clear from general secretary Anjan Mitra’s warning to Darby at the same media meet.
‘Can anybody retain his job if he fails to deliver time and again? Just as a student has to do lot of homework, in soccer also, you have to prepare yourself well. Unfortunately, the coach did not do that.’
Darby, who was present at the conference, conceded there were shortcomings in the team, but exuded confidence of rectifying them.
He also denied any rift with the officials.
