Churchill Brothers sign Derrick Pereira as first team coach

The Goan coach will be in charge of the first team from DSK Shivajians match...

Churchill Brothers Sports Club has signed Derrick Pereira as their head coach to save their sinking ship in the I-league for rest of the season. The 54-year-old was free ever since parting ways with DSK Shivajians last season.

This will be the first time in his 16-year coaching career that Derrick will be taking charge of the club in the midway of a season. The owner of the club, Churchill Alemao gave a call to former Mahindra United coach asking him to take charge of the club which is struggling to sustain in the league and are currently placed at the bottom of the table with just one win and three draws in nine games. The Goan coach accepted it as a new challenge.

"All my years as a coach, I have been working from the beginning of the season and this is the first time that I am in this situation where I have to take care of a team mid-season. So that is a big challenge for me and I have to think differently now." Derrick revealed.

He further added, saying "It was an unexpected call at this time of the season. Because the second leg of the season is starting and so it was unexpected on my part. I took it as a challenge when Churchill (Alemao) called me yesterday (Thursday) to talk whether I am interested and whether I would be able to take charge, I said yes because it is my profession."

At the start of the season, Churchill Brothers were supposed to sign the Nigerian coach Joseph Afusi but due to visa problems, he could not make it to India.

"Afusi was not able to get his Visa and we waited until yesterday (Thursday). But he told us that he wasn't sure whether he will get the visa or not. Derrick will come on board and he and Alfred Fernandes will work together." The head of the Operations at the club, Macariu Rodrigues explained after completing the signing of the coach Derrick.

Though Churchill are at the bottom of the table after the first leg of the season, club owner Alemao believes that the experienced coach Derrick will be help club the to reinforce.

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 "We have signed Derrick Pereira as the coach and he will join us on Saturday. I have a good team and Alfred is a good coach. But we wanted some experienced head. Derrick is going to strengthen the team. He is an experienced coach who knows how to guide his team." Alemao said.