I-League club Mumbai FC have sacked Santosh Kashyap.
In a terse and concise statement released by the club on their official website, the Yellow and Blues' management stated, "Mumbai FC has decided to part ways with coach Santosh Kashyap with immediate effect. Mumbai FC thanks Kashyap for his efforts and wishes him the best in his future endeavours."
The club added that they intend to appoint a new coach imminently. Dark Omens had been circling Kahyap's position at the club for quite a while.
Taking over from Khalid Jamil, the former Royal Wahingdoh manager stated he intended to lead the Mumbaikars to a top three finish in the nation's top division, in their ninth year of participation in the I-League. Their start in the campaign too suggest nothing otherwise, with the Laxmikant Kattimani captained side achieving maximum points in their opening two fixtures.
However, it's been an ugly plummet ever since 18th January, 2017, wherein the Maharashtra capital-based side have accumulated a 12-game winless streak. They initially lost six games in a row before they managed to pluck a point against Mohun Bagan. What followed then were two frustrating 0-0 draws, before the team lost again to Aizawl FC in the Mizoram capital.
ad>Kashyap's dreadful stint in Mumbai had the curtains fall over it when DSK Shivajians - a side who'd gone winless in five previous games - managed to thump the 50 year-old gaffer's side 5-0 in Pune, on the previous matchday.
Matters have been equally dreadful off the pitch as well. Rumours of dressing room distress were doing the rounds, when out of the blue Kashyap seemingly ordered the release of the trio of Steven Dias, Allan Dias and Pratik Chowdhary from the squad, halfway in to the season. However, following heated discussions behind closed doors with his players and with fans protesting his decision, the former Salgaocar coach relented and recalled the trio to the fold.
His relationship with the Mumbai FC faithful can be best described as strained and belligerent. A carousel of abusive chants, mocking banners and deriding social media posts from supporters blighted their relationship in the last two weeks. Kashyap didn't hold back either, questioning the fans' upbringing in the post match press conference after the bitter loss in the Maharashtra derby, in Pune.
The former India international, who has an Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) Professional coaching Diploma, leaves the club at the bottom of the standings having accumulated just 10 points from 14 games. He had a woeful 14.28% win rate. No doubt the Essel group owned club have ensured the best time frame remains for his replacement to salvage whatever he can of a sinking ship, though why the took so long to weild the axe will be frowned upon.
Mumbai will face Churchill Brothers on 8th April at the Cooperage, in what is now a make or break tie for their continued existence in the I-League.