Bengaluru FC appoint former Leeds United boss Simon Grayson as head coach
In a bid to turn things around, Indian Super League (ISL) outfit Bengaluru FC have appointed former Leeds United boss Simon Grayson as head coach on a two-year deal. The club announced the Englishman's appointment on Wednesday.
A versatile player in his heyday, Grayson was often deployed as a midfielder, despite being a natural right-back, in a career that spanned 19 years. He played for Leeds United, Leicester City, Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers before moving into the Football League with Sheffield Wednesday, Stockport County, Notts County, Bradford City and Blackpool.
Grayson's managerial career began when he was appointed as player-manager of Blackpool in 2005. He retired a year later to focus on his managerial duties and led the club to promotion via the playoffs, from League One to the Championship in the 2006–07 season.
Grayson was appointed manager of Leeds United in 2008 and led them to promotion to the Championship in 2010. After being dismissed in February 2012, he moved to Huddersfield Town, where he again gained promotion from League One via the play-offs, beating Sheffield United in the final.
In February 2013, Grayson became the new manager of Preston North End, winning promotion from League One to the Championship with them in the 2014–15 season. He later had short spells in charge of Sunderland, Bradford City, Blackpool and Fleetwood Town.
Simon Grayson is expected to steer Bengaluru FC's fortunes in the right direction during his tenure at the club.
Bengaluru FC and Marco Pezzaiuoli go their separate ways
After a disappointing campaign that included a group stage finish in the AFC Cup and a sixth-place finish in the 2021-22 ISL season, Bengaluru FC decided to part ways with Marco Pezzaiuoli.
The German football coach took over ahead of last season but could not deliver the desired results. Despite some instances of brilliant quality football, the former 1899 Hoffenheim manager could not cope with the demands of the league.