South United appoint Alfredo Fernandes as Head Coach

South United Media 

South United Football Club officially announced the appointment of Alfredo Fernandes as their new Head Coach. The Bengaluru club were able to attract Mr. Fernandes after two seasons in-charge of the Churchill Brothers I-League side and one season spent as Technical Director at the club. 

Speaking ahead of the announcement, Alfredo Fernandes said, “I was thrilled to see the long-term vision and passion shown by South United FC. The plans and ideas they have for the club are what drew me to the job and I’m excited to be a part of this endeavour. 

“The club has come a long way so far and my goal will be to carry on this incredible journey and build on it as we move forward to try and achieve our long term and short term goals.” 

SUFC are soon holding trials for aspirants who want to play for the senior team during the 2019-20 season and are keen to have Mr. Fernandes involved from the very beginning. 

The AFC ‘A’ License holder, Alfredo Fernandes, began his coaching career with Young Strikers after spending 18 years as a professional footballer. As a player he represented the likes of Dempo SC and Churchill Brothers among others. 

He finished his playing career at Young Strikers and then coached the side for 3 years. Following that, he joined Churchill Brothers to coach their U-20 side and played the role of Assistant Coach for the senior side for 10 years before taking over as Head Coach in 2016. He remained head coach of the side for 2 seasons before taking the post of Technical Director at the club.

Carles Cuadrat is the Bengaluru coach for this season

Bengaluru FC Media

Spaniard Carles Cuadrat has been named the new coach of Bengaluru FC in a one-year deal that keeps him with the Blues till the end of the 2018-19 season, the club announced on Thursday. An assistant coach at the club for two seasons, Cuadrat takes over the baton from Albert Roca who bid farewell to Bengaluru earlier in May.

“We are thrilled at announcing Carles as our new head coach. Alongside Albert, he played a massive part in changing the way we played football. Given the long association the two have shared, it’s reassuring to know that our philosophy remains intact. Carles has been a popular figure in the dressing room and with the fans and we couldn’t have asked for a better choice as we make an important transition,” said club CEO, Parth Jindal.

Cuadrat’s second season with the Blues had to be cut short after a surgery on his knee forced him to resign and return to Spain in December.  And the 49-year-old said he was delighted to be able to come back in a new role at the club.

“I am very happy to come back to the club, to the fantastic people who work for it and to the fans who I have always had a special place for, in my heart. I am also grateful to the management for reposing such faith in me. What Albert achieved at the club is special and it won’t be easy to replicate. But I will be giving this opportunity everything I have, and I believe with the right amount of hard work and passion, we can keep achieving success at BFC.”

An academy graduate at FC Barcelona, Cuadrat had coaching stints with the age-group teams at the Catalan giants before traveling to Galatasaray with Roca as part of Frank Rijkaard’s staff. He then became assistant to Roca at the Saudi Arabia and El Salvador national teams before joining Bengaluru FC at the start of the 2016-17 season during which he won the Federation Cup with the Blues.