Former ISL winner John Gregory becomes new Malappuram FC head coach

Kerala Super League club Malappuram FC have announced John Gregory as their new head coach. The Englishman is best-known for winning the ISL title with Chennaiyin FC in 2018, as they defeated Bengaluru in the final to win their second title.

Malappuram FC will embark on their first-ever season, in the inaugural edition of Kerala’s new domestic league. And with Gregory at the helm, it will be interesting to see if he can guide the team to success right away.

John Gregory joins Malappuram FC as new head coach

Super League Kerala side Malappuram FC have appointed former ISL cup winner John Gregory as their new head coach 🔥👏🏻

Cleofas Alex will join him as the assistant coach #90ndstoppage pic.twitter.com/0WUqZeHzDp

— 90ndstoppage (@90ndstoppage) July 20, 2024

The club has also confirmed Cleofas Alex, a native of Thiruvananthapuram, as their assistant coach for the coming season.

The 70-year-old boasts of an impressive coaching career, having managed Aston Villa between 1998 and 2002 for 187 games. He also coached Queen’s Park Rangers and Derby County, alongside Crawley Town in England.

John Gregory’s former club, Chennaiyin FC, on the other hand, are experiencing a resurgence with massive transfer activity this summer as they look to maximize their success under Owen Coyle in the 24-25 season.

Here is a quick look at the format of the inaugural edition of the Kerala Super League, which will also have a tie-up with the Australian A-League.