Mario Rivera is expected to take over coaching reins in East Bengal by the first week of February as he is awaiting the completion of visa formalities.
Mario Rivera. (Photo: I-League)
Kolkata football giants East Bengal on Thursday appointed Mario Rivera as their head coach till the end of the 2019-20 I-League season after Alejandro Menendez stepped down from the post after a string of poor results two days back.
“Quess East Bengal FC (QEBFC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mario Rivera Campesino as the Head Coach of the Senior Team till 31st May, 2020. Mario worked as an assistant coach with QEBFC last season under Alejandro. He is a UEFA Pro License coach and most of his coaching stints were in Spain,” the club said in a statement.
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The 42-year-old had earlier assisted Menendez in the 2018-19 session before he was replaced by Josep Ferre as the assistant coach for the ongoing season. However, Rivera will be assisted by Marcall Trulls.
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Rivera is expected to take over by the first week of February as he is awaiting the completion of visa formalities. Until he comes, fellow-assistant coach Bastab Roy will be in-charge of the red-and-gold brigade for their I-League matches against Chennai City on January 25 and Indian Arrows on February 1.
The resignation from Menendez had come after the Red and Gold brigade lost the much-important Kolkata derby 1-2 against the arch-rivals, Mohun Bagan, on January 19.
“I am happy for the progress the club has made during my tenure as the head coach and I wish to see the new leadership to take this progress to the next level. I enjoyed my duration with the club and wish the team and the fans all the best,” Spanish coach Menendez was quoted as saying on the official statement released by the club.
Despite the starting this year’s I-League on an unbeaten note, East Bengal lost three straight matches after the turn of the decade, including the first I-League derby of the season at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Menendez was even awarded the I-League Coach of the Month for December 2019.
East Bengal are currently languishing at seventh in the table with just eight points after seven matches.
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