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Mohun Bagan sacks coach

Our Sports Reporter

KOLKATA APRIL 15. Defending National Football League (NFL) champion Mohun Bagan sacked its coach Subrata Bhattacharya on Tuesday. The drastic step was prompted by Bhattacharya's `anti-club activities' as he tried to incite a mutiny among players, alleged the club secretary, Mr. Anjan Mitra, in a news conference.

Bhattacharya's departure signalled the end of one of the longest coaching tenures in the club's history. Known to be a staunch Mohun Bagan man more because of his unflinching association with the club as a player, Bhattacharya replaced Syed Nayeemuddin as coach in November, 1999 and helped the team lift 12 titles in his 40 months stay with the club. This was his second stint as a coach. He was first appointed for a short duration between June and December 1995.

Bhattacharya was hailed as one of the best in the business for his astuteness and the respect he commanded from the players. His induction four years back revived the fortunes of the club, which won its second NFL title immediately after his arrival.

The high point of his coaching career came in the 2001-2002 season, which saw Mohun Bagan win five titles. Bhattacharya had attained two unique feats — winning two NFL titles in a tenure and the highest number of titles in a single season.

Having accomplished so much in the last season, luck seemed to elude Bhattacharya this season as the team, having the likes of Bhaiuchung Bhutia, Jose Barreto, failed to win a single major title.

With success deserting Bhattacharya, some of the senior players reportedly started venting their displeasure and the coach soon found himself getting embroiled in the administrative tug of war, which in the end consumed a brilliant coaching career.

With the club unable to decide on Bhattacharya's successor, Mohun Bagan will now be playing the rest of the season, the remaining two NFL matches, without a coach. The interim post will be held by one of the assistant coaches, Bidesh Bose and Shyamal Banerjee, or any of the senior players, said the secretary.

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