ISL: Josep Gombau to leave Odisha FC

Odisha FC's Spanish head coach Josep Gombau has today decided to not extend his contract with the ISL club, leaving after two seasons in charge in the ISL, Goal India reported.

Gombau joined as head coach of the erstwhile Delhi Dynamos at the start of the 2018-19 season to replace Miguel Angel Portugal at the capital club and followed the club as they moved to Bhubaneswar in the following ISL season, to become Odisha FC.

Gombau has not had a great time in India if you purely go by the results. In 2018-19, Delhi finished 8th on the table, with 18 points from 18 games. He fared slightly better at Odisha, but still couldn't make the playoffs, as the side finished 6th with 25 points in the league phase.

But Gombau's credit will be the number of young Indian players that he has brought through to the first team and improved. Nandhakumar Sekar and Vinit Rai have gone on to become regulars for Odisha over the past two seasons, while this season, the likes of Shubham Sarangi and Jerry Mawihmingthanga have stepped up in their respective positions.

Odisha FC President Rohan Sharma has time and again reiterated the project that he is undertaking at Odisha, so it would not be a surprise if there is more Spanish influence at the club to carry on with the foundation that Gombau has set, instead of taking a whole new route to their football.

Of course, along with Gombau's style and methods, Sharma and Odisha know that their decision on Gombau's successor will have to result in a spot in the ISL playoffs, at least, next season.