Former Arsenal man Gerry Peyton appointed new Odisha FC asst coach

The Irishman comes with a great experience from the coaching staffs at several top flight Premier League clubs.

Odisha FC have announced the signing of 64-year-old Mr. Gerry Peyton as assistant coach of the team ahead of the seventh edition of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL). He joined the Bhubaneswar-based side on a two-year deal on Friday.

Mr. Peyton played for numerous reputed clubs like West Ham United, Everton, Fulham and Chelsea and was a member of the coaching teams of Arsenal, Fulham etc. Before joining Odisha FC, the former goalkeeper of the Irish national team was the assistant manager of Japanese club Shimizu S-Pulse.

Welcoming the new Assistant Coach, OFC President Mr. Rohan Sharma said, "I am thrilled to have someone of Coach Gerry's caliber helping us out this year. His 15 years of experience at Arsenal will give a great lift to the boys, particularly our goalkeepers. He is someone who can help us achieve excellence on and off the pitch."

Mr. Peyton expressed, "I am looking forward to working in India with my friend and colleague Stuart Baxter along with all the staff and players. Together we aim to build a successful project at Odisha FC that will leave a legacy for all of Odisha for years to come."

Earlier, the club had officially confirmed the appointment of new head coach Stuart Baxter, a news that Khel Now broke in April. Moreover, in the recent months, the Juggernauts have brought in a flurry of domestic young players.

Some of the prominent names among them include Kamaljit Singh, George D'souza, Hendry Antonay, Samuel Lalmuanpuia and Thoiba Singh Moirangthem. In addition to that, they also brought Aizawl FC duo Isak Vanlalruatfela and Paul Ramfangzauva last week. With the ISL 2020-21 season reportedly set to begin in November, it remains to be seen if Odisha FC can manage to reach the play-offs.