Chennai City FC appoint Satyasagara as new head coach

He was previously the assistant coach at the club when Akbar Nawas was at the helm.

Former I-League champions Chennai City FC have named Satyasagara as their new head coach for the upcoming season. The club made the formal announcement on their social media handles which read, “Our former assistant head coach Mr. Satyasagara will take the reigns as the head coach of our #SingaPadai.”

Speaking on his appointment Satyasagara said, “I am delighted for the new opportunity that has come my way. As everyone knows, I was working with Akbar Nawas and am familiar with the CCFC culture and setup. I am also excited to work with the young local talents.”

He also went on to add, “The local talent in Tamil Nadu has always excited me and I am waiting to see what is in store for us this year.“

Club owner Rohit Ramesh also had his say on the appointment and quoted, “He has been with us for two years now. He knows the culture and the pedigree of our club, keeping in mind to promote our local talent. We wish him the best.”  

Satyasagara is an AFC A License holder who served as a deputy to Akbar Nawas at the club for the previous two seasons. In his first season as an assistant coach, they went on to win the I-League title.

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The Singaporean head coach left the club earlier this year after a fairly successful two-year stint at the Tamil Nadu outfit. In his first season, the team were crowned champions in the league overcoming all the odds. While in his second campaign, the team stood at the seventh position before the competition was called off midway due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the two matches they played in the AFC club competitions, they failed to win any, drawing one and losing one.

The former Tampines Rovers head coach had managed the team 38 times in two years, winning 20 while drawing and losing nine times each, with a win percentage of close to 53%, which is the highest among all coaches in the short history of the club.

The upcoming edition of the I-League will be played in the state of West Bengal in a new format due to the COVID-19 crisis. Like the Indian Super League, the players and staff will stay in the bio-bubble during the course of the competition. This season of the I-League will see two new teams Mohammedan SC and Sudeva Delhi ply their trade in the competition.