Chennaiyin FC part ways with long-time assistant coach Syed Sabir Pasha | ISL 2022-23

Chennaiyin FC’s long-serving assistant coach, Syed Sabir Pasha, has stepped down from his role at the club with immediate effect, the club announced on Wednesday, March 8.

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The former Indian forward took over the role in 2016 and has since then played a crucial part in the development of the Marina Machans. Sabir Pasha also served as the interim manager of the senior team for four league games in the 2021-22 ISL season after the club had terminated the contract of then-head coach Božidar Bandović.

“Eight long and great years with this prestigious club was amazing. I thank the owners as well as the management in this regard for trusting me and allowing me to work for such a long time. I have seen many ups and downs with this club and all of it is a learning process for me. I request the fans, who were amazing so far, to keep supporting this club as they have been so far. By wishing this club many more wins and trophies, I sign off,” Pasha said in a press statement.

During his tenure as the assistant coach, Chennaiyin clinched the 2017-18 ISL title under John Gregory. Meanwhile, the club is yet to announce his replacement but said in a statement that a decision will be made in the coming days.

Previously, Syed Sabir Pasha had also managed the Tamil Nadu football team for the Santosh Trophy before going on to serve as head coach of the AIFF Elite Academy.

Pivotal for Chennaiyin FC to hold on to their core team

Despite not making it to the playoffs in the ISL 2022-23 season, Chennaiyin FC had a lot of positives to focus on. In spells, the team looked absolutely unbeatable under Thomas Brdaric but ultimately suffered due to a lack of consistency and injuries.

However, for the Marina Machans to build on the positives and strengths, they will need to focus on retaining the services of their core team. The likes of Abdenasser El Khayati, Petar Sliskovic, and Kwame Karikari have been champion performers throughout the season. Being able to hold on to their services will add continuity but most importantly, Chennaiyin needs to look to retain its Indian contingent.