NEWLY PROMOTED I-League club Aizawl FC have decided to part ways with their head coach Manuel Retamero Fraile.
The Spanish coach who had worked with Real Valladolid B and the Bahrain Football Association in the past, joined Aizawl FC in the summer and was at the helm when the club claimed their first silverware of the season by winning the Mizoram Premier League without losing a single match.
But their maiden foray into top division football was filled with hardship and setbacks as they suffered defeats at the hands of veteran clubs like Mohun Bagan, Bengaluru FC, Sporting Clube de Goa and East Bengal. They managed to beat fellow debutants DSK Shivajians at home and clinched a draw against Salgaocar on the road.
The club had stuck to its crop of players that helped them win the 2nd Division League last season and the inexperience showed as most of the players had not played top division football in the past. Their brand of football - possession game with short passes utilizing the players' pace in the midfield and sprinting attacks from the wings - was exciting to watch. But lack of a good finisher up front saw them waste a number of crucial chances that translated at them struggling in the league table with 4 points from 6 games; a gasp away from the dreaded relegation spot.
It was at this point that the club management decided to intervene and hand over the reigns to Jahar Das, who joined the club as the Head of Youth Development in August. He has previously worked with the Mizoram Football Association in youth development and talent spotting. This is not Jahar Das's first assignment as the head coach of a top division club as he has previously coached Mohun Bagan. He will make his debut in the Aizawl FC bench when they take on Shillong Lajong at home later this week.