Stephen Constantine returns to Indian football as Emami East Bengal head coach

Constantine had been the Indian men's football team head coach over two stints from 2002 to 2005 and from 2015 to 2019.

Stephen Constantine during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. (Photo: Reuters)

Former Indian National team head coach Stephen Constantine has been announced as the new East Bengal head coach, the Indian Super League side confirmed in a statement on Wednesday, July 27.

“Emami Group and East Bengal Club are delighted to announce that the former India national team head coach, Stephen Constantine has been appointed as our Head Coach for the 2022-23 football season.,” the official club statement read.

Delighted and very excited at being made Head Coach of Emami East Bengal. Can’t wait to get over there and get to work. pic.twitter.com/oPxqzvnMRg

— StephenConstantine (@StephenConstan) July 27, 2022

The 59-year-old, who last managed Pafos FC in Cypriot had managed the India men’s football team over two stints from 2002 to 2005 and from 2015 to 2019. The 50-year old will now manage the Red-and-Gold brigade ahead of the 2022-23 ISL season.

“Delighted and very excited at being made Head Coach of Emami East Bengal. Can’t wait to get over there and get to work,” the former Indian coach wrote in a recent Twitter post.

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As a player, Constantine had played football in the USA, for the Pennsylvania Stoners and the New York Pancyprian-Freedoms. However, a serious knee injury forced him to retire at the age of 26. Constantine started his coaching career for APEP Pitsilia, a 3rd division club from Cyprus. In 1999, he was appointed as the head coach of Nepal’s national team where he stayed for a couple of years before taking the Youth Coach position in 2001 at AFC Bournemouth.

East Bengal had a dismal ISL 2021/22 season as they finished at the bottom of the table with just one win across 20 matches.