East Bengal FC announced the appointment of Shanmugam Venkatesh as their Assistant Coach for the ongoing season. Bino George will continue to be the Head Coach of the Reserves team. The appointment marks Venkatesh’s return to East Bengal for whom he made 17 appearances in the 2002/03 season. The former midfielder also plied his trade for Indian Telephone Industries, Salgaocar, Mohun Bagan, and the erstwhile Mahindra United and Pune FC during his 18-year-long professional career.
Shanmugam Venkatesh as new assistant coach of East Bengal FC
Now former India U-20 national team head coach Shanmugam Venkatesh joins his former boss Stephen Constantine at the red and gold under whom he worked as an assistant coach with Team India.
Former India captain Venkatesh has played for East Bengal FC in the 2002/03 season and now after years of working with the AIFF as an assistant coach of the Indian national team before working as head coach of the Indian Arrows and the India U-20 national team, Shanmugam Venkatesh now makes the switch as a coach for the very first time to a club side.
Ventakesh is no stranger to rubbing shoulders with Constantine. The 43-year-old had earlier served as an assistant to the English coach during the latter’s second spell at the helm of the Indian national team between 2015 and 2019.
The AFC A license-holder has also coached the Indian U-19 side in the past and was in charge of the Indian U-20 squad that competed in Group H of the recently concluded AFC U-20 Asian Cup Qualifiers.
Speaking about his appointment, Constantine told the EBFC Media Team on Wednesday, “I think Venky will be a great addition to the team. He worked as my assistant at the Indian National Team for four years. He played under me as well. He will be a big help in identifying new talented players for East Bengal FC. I am looking forward to working with him again.”
