Kolkata/New Delhi: Salagaocar’s Moroccan coach Karim Bencherifa will in all likelihood take charge of Mohun Bagan from the start of next month after Santosh Kashyap resigned three months into the job recently.
Bencherifa had earlier coached Mohun Bagan in 2009 and has been one of the better performers among all those who have been at the green-and-maroon dug-out during the past five to six years.
Although Bagan officials are tightlipped about the development, it has been learnt that Benecherifa has been offered an astronomical salary so that he can turn the fortunes of the beleagured club.
However at this point of time, Bencherifa cannot join straightaway as he has to honour his existing contract with Goan giants Salgaocar until the end of this month.
According to reliable sources, Bencherifa will be given a contract of a year and half and he has agreed in principle after it was mutually agreed that senior club officials will not meddle in team affairs.
“Bencherifa has worked here previously… He knows the club set up inside out and players like Odafa too back him,” an official informed.
Bencherifa’s man management skills are considered to be far superior to Englishman David Booth’s, who was considered to be the top man for the job since Kashyap resigned.
Senior officials are not comfortable with someone who does plainspeaking and the Briton at times may be someone whom Anjan Mitra and company can find difficult to handle.
In addition, the open backing by former India captain and Bagan legend Chuni Goswami also became a factor while zeroing in on Benecherifa’s name.
“Only Karim and Subrata (Bhattacharya) can get this club back in winning ways,” Goswami had remarked after Kashyap’s exit.
Bencherifa boasts of an impressive CV after his ouster from Mohun Bagan in January 2010.
After taking charge at Salgaocar, Bencherifa coached them to the coveted I-League title and the Federation Cup last season. (PTI)
