ISL 2023-24: 3 Managers who left in the season's first half, ft. Des Buckingham
Managers leaving their clubs midway through a season is nothing new to football and the Indian Super League (ISL) is no exception. While a few might have tasted success before their time to leave arrived, the others would have been shown the exit door due to lack of results from the word go.
On that note let us now look at the three ISL club managers who left midway in the just completed first half of the 2023/24 season.
3) Des Buckingham (Mumbai City FC)
Des Buckingham joined Mumbai City FC on a two-year contract ahead of the 2021-22 ISL season replacing Sergio Lobera, who led them to historic League Shield Winners and Championship titles in the previous season. Mumbai thereby became the first-ever ISL team to clinch both titles in a single season.
It wasn't easy for the Englishman to fill the void left by a highly successful Lobera when he began his stint with the Islanders. His first season at Mumbai saw the then-defending champion finish at the fifth position on the points table with 31 points from 20 matches.
In his second season in charge of the club, the 38-year-old helped them bring back the crown yet again to Mumbai as they won their second ISL League Shield Winners title in three years. However, midway through the current season in November last year, the Oxford-born manager returned home to where it all began in his managerial career - the English League One side Oxford United.
The fans of the club and Indian Football fans in general were hugely disappointed with his departure from the reigning League Shield winners given the style of play he instilled in his players and how he brought out the potential of young Indian players during his tenure. Petr Kratky has taken over at the helm of Mumbai City FC.
2) Simon Grayson (Bengaluru FC)
Grayson, a man with a vast experience in English football both as a player and as a manager, joined Bengaluru FC in June 2022. In his first main assignment as the head coach, Simon led Bengaluru FC to their first ever Durand Cup title in September 2022 when they defeated Mumbai City FC 2-1 in the final of the prestigious tournament at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium.
Although the club had a shaky start in the first few matches of the 2022-23 ISL season under him, they bounced back strongly to end the season as runners-up after finishing fourth on the league table.
Bengaluru, who defeated Mumbai City FC over a two-legged semifinal via a thrilling penalty shootout (won 9-8) at home, lost 4-3 on penalties to ATK Mohun Bagan in the final held at the Fatorda Stadium in Margao.
Post this heartbreaking defeat, Bengaluru continued their exceptional run at the 2023 Indian Super Cup as well where they once again fell short in the final by a 1-2 margin against Odisha FC.
The 54-year-old mutually agreed to part ways with the club on December 9 last year after a poor run in the current ISL season. Bengaluru could only manage a solitary victory under Simon Grayson in nine matches during the ongoing 2023-24 edition of the ISL having lost and drawn four matches each.
He was replaced by Spaniard Gerard Zaragoza who was Carles Cuadrat's assistant when Bengaluru won the league title in the 2018-19 season.
1) Scott Cooper (Jamshedpur FC)
After finishing second last in the previous edition of the ISL with just 19 points from 20 matches, Jamshedpur FC opted for a change of manager ahead of this season. Hence the club decided to rope in Scott Cooper who replaced Aidy Boothroyd in July last year.
Things didn't work out for Jamshedpur under Scott either as they managed just nine points during his tenure, winning only two out of the 12 matches. They are currently at the tenth position in this edition of the ISL whose second half will resume after a break due to the upcoming AFC Asian Cup and Indian Super Cup tournaments.
The losing streak and a series of poor performances prompted the 53-year-old manager and the club to mutually part ways last week given the fact that there is still a lot to play for them this season with the Super Cup and ten more league games approaching. Scott Cooper has been replaced by Khalid Jamil, who was previously seen in the league managing the NorthEast United FC.