Bengaluru FC and head coach Carles Cuadrat have mutually decided to part ways, the club announced on Wednesday. This comes after the Blues slipped to a third consecutive ISL 2020-21 defeat on Tuesday, a first for them ever since joining the league ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.
Cuadrat, who was in his fifth season with the club – two as an assistant to Albert Roca before he took charge as head coach – will be replaced by Naushad Moosa, who will step in as interim Head Coach with immediate effect.
During his ISL tenure as Bengaluru head coach, the Blues became the first and only team to top the league table and eventually win the trophy in ISL 2018-19. In his 50 matches at the helm, Cuadrat has 24 victories, 13 losses and a win percentage of 48%.
The Blues, under the Spaniard, also hold the League record of most consecutive wins (six), unbeaten streak (eleven games) and clean sheets (eleven). It was also under Carles that Rahul Bheke and Nishu Kumar earned call-ups to the national team. He even handed as many as 10 youngsters from Bengaluru FC B their first minutes with the senior team.
“After deep deliberation with the management, we feel the club needs to head in a new direction – one where the ethos and philosophy of Bengaluru FC begin reflecting again. While we enjoyed success with Carles in the past, we felt there was a departure from the philosophy that we hold true this season, which prompted us to arrive at this decision,” said Parth Jindal, Director, Bengaluru FC.
“I want to express gratitude for everything that Carles has done for this wonderful football club. In the five years, he has spent with us, he has been through all the ups and downs we’ve experienced at BFC. He was around when we lost the AFC Cup final and then the ISL final, before leading us to the ISL title on that night in Mumbai,” said Parth Jindal, Director, Bengaluru FC.
Moosa’s first assignment will be the game against SC East Bengal on Saturday at the Fatorda Stadium.
“Naushad Moosa has been with the club for four seasons and we are confident he will get the team to play the kind of football that we have based our success on. Meanwhile, our search for a replacement has already begun and we will be bringing in someone who we believe can further the philosophy and style of this club. Our ambition of challenging for titles while developing young talent that goes on to represent the country remains unchanged. We are currently in a good position this season and we back the staff and players to build on it in the coming weeks,” Parth added.
Speaking on the decision, Cuadrat said, “I greatly appreciate the club for giving me the opportunity to be Head Coach. It has been a relationship where I have been treated really well and a club that I will always have fond memories of. I would like to thank the owners and management whose vision has been excellent, players who have always been at my service, the staff that I have worked with and that have stood by my side across five seasons and the fans, who have been tremendous in their support, and without whom we could never have carved out so many beautiful nights at the Kanteerava and away. I wish the club all the luck through the season and beyond. This club and the people associated with it will forever be in my heart.”