Bengaluru FC have decided to part ways with head coach Carles Cuadrat, the club announced in a statement on Wednesday. Naushad Moosa, who has been with the club for four seasons, will take over as interim head coach with immediate effect.
"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 begins 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.
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Bengaluru are currently fifth in the points table with three wins from nine games, but have lost their last three matches, including a 3-1 loss to Mumbai City FC on Tuesday. Cuadrat was in his fifth season with the club, having spent two of those as an assistant to Albert Roca before taking over as head coach. Under Cuadrat, Bengaluru became the first and only team in the history of the Indian Super League to top the table and win the title in the same season, in 2018-19.
"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 Jindal.
Speaking on the decision, Cuadrat said, "I greatly appreciate the club for giving me the opportunity to be Head Coach. 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."
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Moosa's first game in charge will be against SC East Bengal on Saturday.
"We are confident Moosa will get the team to play the kind of football 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," Jindal added.