Chennaiyin FC part ways with head coach Bozidar Bandovic

Sabir Pasha will serve as his replacement on an interim basis until the end of the 2021/22 season.

Indian Super League (ISL) outfit Chennaiyin FC have parted ways with their head coach Bozidar Bandovic with immediate effect, the club announced on Friday. The Marina Machans have appointed assistant coach Sabir Pasha as his interim replacement, who will look after the first-team dynamics until the end of the 2021-22 season.

The two-time champions displayed good quality football with robust defending in the first half of the season. They were too good and were one of the four favourites to make it to the playoffs this season. But, the tables and their fortunes turned in no time. They just have two wins to show in their last 10 matches and currently find themselves in the bottom half of the table.

The sacking of Bozidar Bandovic comes after the club suffered a humiliating loss to FC Goa. “Chennaiyin FC and Bozidar Bandovic have mutually parted ways following their 0-5 defeat to FC Goa in the Hero Indian Super League on Wednesday - the heaviest loss endured by the club in its history,” the club said in a statement.

“Bozidar Bandovic was in-charge of the first-team for 16 matches - winning five, drawing four and losing seven. The team's assistant coach Syed Sabir Pasha will take over in the interim. Pasha has served as the assistant coach to the first-team since 2017. The former India international turned out for Indian Bank in his playing career from 1991 to 2007,” the statement read.

"Over the years, we've lost and won. But, as a club, losing like this is something we cannot stand by and watch. And for now, we have full confidence in Sabir to see the season through," co-owner Vita Dani stated.

Bozidar Bandovic came to India on the back of a highly successful stint in Thailand with Buriram United. Bandovic preferred a conservative style of football, which did help them get results in the first half of the season. But, his playing style and decisions on the field drew a lot of criticism from fans, as his side struggled to score goals.

Chennaiyin are currently the lowest-scoring side in the league this season and have found the back of the net on just 14 occasions in 16 games. They've conceded 25 goals, which is the sixth best defensive record in the league so far.

The sacking of Bozidar Bandovic is the fourth head coach casualty in the ISL this season. The Spanish trio of Antonio Lopez Habas, Kiko Ramirez and Manolo Diaz were the first victims of the campaign.

The Marina Machans will take on Odisha FC in their 17th game of the season on February 16.

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