ISL 2018: 5 possible replacements for Albert Roca at Bengaluru FC
Indian Super League side Bengaluru FC have announced that they are parting ways with their coach Albert Roca on Thursday citing personal reasons. Roca replaced former manager Ashley Westwood at the beginning of the 2016-17 season. The Spaniard was not effective in his initial days as the Blues' head coach as the Bengaluru based team finished a disappointing fourth in the 2016-17 I-League.
Roca and his boys bounced right back after the I-League season as they clinched their second Federation Cup title (2017) in Cuttack, Odisha. The Spaniard also led Bengaluru FC to the final of the 2015/16 AFC Cup, a feat that was till then untouched by any Indian club.
The Blues showed terrific form in the recently-concluded ISL season, when they finished top of the table, and looked to be the most dominant side in the league. However, they went on to lose out on the title, as they came up short against Chennaiyin FC in the summit clash.
Roca parting ways with Bengaluru FC is sure to send the Bengaluru FC faithful in deep jitters as their run under the former FC Barcelona assistant coach has been nothing short of a fairy tale.
While the departure of Roca is sure to keep the Bengaluru FC faithful guessing about their next gaffer, Sportskeeda takes a look at the five top managers who could replace the former Blues manager.
5) Oscar Bruzon
Hailing from the city of Vigo, Spain, Bruzon is no stranger to the Indian football fans. He began his India sojourn under Sporting Clube de Goa in the I-League during the 2010-11 season, and led the Flaming Oranje to an impressive eight position in a 14-team team league.
Bruzon got to work in the cash-rich Indian Super League as the assistant coach of Mumbai City FC in the 2015 edition of the franchise tournament. He returned to Spain to ply his trade as the assistant coach of RCD Mallorca in the La Liga 2016-17.
He then returned to India as the replacement for Santosh Kashyap who was sacked from the position of head coach during Mumbai FC's relegation battle. Bruzon helped the Men in Yellow get some key points but failed to save the Mumbai based club from relegation.
Since then, Bruzon has been coaching Maldivian side New Radiant SC, who gave Bengaluru FC a good fight for the top spot in Group E of the AFC Cup. However, a final day defeat at the hands of Aizawl FC meant that Bengaluru FC made it to the Interzonal Playoffs, while New Radiant crashed out of the tournament.