Close on the heels of Kerala Blaster, the NorthEast United FC is set to become the second Indian Super League (ISL) franchisee to have sacked their coach midway into the season, the web portal Goal reported.
The John Abraham co-owned club are the only ISL team alongside FC Pune City to have not qualified for the play-offs in the last three years. The club appointed Joao de Deus Pires in July last year with hopes of changing their fortunes this season.
However, NorthEast United have scored just twice in seven games despite the coach having claimed that the top scorer in the ISL will be from his club. With only a single win in their kitty, the northeastern outfit once again looks set to miss out on the top four unless they improve their form to winning spree.
After the 2-0 defeat to Mumbai City FC, the club management had reportedly held series of meetings with certain players who expressed their ‘displeasure over de Deus’ techniques and strategies.
The 5-0 hammering in Pune last week was the final nail in the coffin for the club and the management has decide to call it quits for the coach.
Ironically, Halicharan Narzary and Nirmal Chettri were left out of the 18 when they visited Pune.
On Tuesday, goalkeeping coach Joseph Siddy was believed to have overseen the training session and not de Deus.
Goal quoted in its report, both Cesar Farias, who coached them in the second season and Nelo Vingada were contacted by the club management to come in as a replacement. For now, Vingada seems to be the favourite to fill in the shoes of de Deus.