Kolkata: Former head coach of India Stephen Constantine will be in charge of Kolkata Giants East Bengal in the upcoming edition of the Indian Super League, the club said on Wednesday.
The appointment of 59-year-old Constantine marks his return to the country after coaching the national team twice.
Constantine’s greatest achievement was to take India from 173rd to 97th position in the FIFA rankings during his second stint.
“Emami Group and East Bengal Club are pleased to announce that former national team head coach Stephen Constantine has been appointed as our head coach for the 2022-23 football season,” a media statement said.
Constantine, who is of Anglo-Cypriot descent, had coached the national team at the Busan Asian Games in 2002 after being appointed head coach for the first time that same year, and at the 2004 Pre-World Cup.
It was under Constantine that India had won the LG Cup in Vietman in 2002, one of the most memorable victories in the new millennium.
He was re-appointed as the coach of the national team in January 2015 and it was under him that India won the 2016 SAFF Cup. He led the team to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup where India was ousted in the group stage after a winning start.
East Bengal had a forgettable 2021-22 ISL season as the team finished ninth out of 11 teams.
Also read | Cost of Lovlina’s coach at ‘Games Village’: national coach, team doc moves
