Kolkata, March 18: East Bengal coach Trevor James Morgan is under fire for taking leave and going back home to Sydney after they conceded a crucial loss to Chennai City FC in the I-League last week.
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The club officials and a few former footballers of East Bengal are criticising Morgan, saying that he should not have gone back at this crisis and should have continued training.
Even, a section of East Bengal officials are expressing doubts over his return to Kolkata. Their opinion is that Morgan is guessing that he will be axed immediately if East Bengal lose in their very next I-League match against rivals Mohun Bagan on 9th April. So he might not even return to Kolkata.
The club officials, who have expressed doubt over his return, have reportedly started roaming around in search of a new coach.
Name of former Mohun Bagan and Salgaocar coach Karim Bencherifa has also come up as a possible replacement of Morgan.
But speaking over the phone from Sydney, the British coach blasted over the controversy and said: “I am not a coward. I am not an irresponsible person. Why should not I return to Kolkata? I must come back on the specified date and it was pre-scheduled.
"I took permission from the club's officials already as there is no match now for next two weeks due to India's international engagement. So I do not care about this controversy."
Asked whether East Bengal has still any chance of winning the I-League this season even after their worst defeat against Chennai City FC, Moran said: “I am sure if we can win the remaining four matches we will be in the race to earn the title. I still believe finishing between 37 and 40 points in the League this season will be enough to win the title."
Morgan feels the defensive errors have been the key factor behind the team's important defeats in the League this season so far.
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