Mumbai: Former India international Santosh Kashyap is now officially the head coach of the Mumbai FC for the upcoming season 2016-17. Kashyap replaced another former India international Khalid Jamil, who was shown the door by the club after having coached the side for seven long years.
Kashyap is an AFC Pro licence holder and has a huge coaching experience which started with the Mahindra U-19 side before moving on to coach the Air India side and then Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan in 2012.
His journey with the green-and-maroons wasn’t a good one as he resigned only after two matches following Mohun Bagan’s dismal performance in the I-League as well as the Federation Cup. Kashyap’s luck deserted him till he joined Salgaocar in the last season only.
The time he took over the reigns with Salgaocar, the team was on a losing streak having been beaten in four successive matches. Kashyap arrested the slide and saved them the blushes of relegation last season.
Having taken up the charge of Essel Group owned Mumbai FC, the 50-year-old sounded confident. “To become Mumbai FC manager is organic growth for me. It is the club of a city having a hundred year old football legacy and also where I have played my football. It is a great honour that I have been offered the responsibility of managing the top football club of Mumbai, a city known and admired throughout India and the world,” the newly appointed coach was quoted as saying by the official website of Mumbai FC.
“I have always felt an affinity with Cooperage; it has hosted some important memories for me in my career and I have always enjoyed a rapport with the football fraternity in Mumbai. I’m looking forward to being their manager and enjoying the magnificent support of the Yellow Brigade in the coming season.” former India forward added.