Stephen Constantine to be named as the new head coach of East Bengal

Former Indian natonal team coach, Stephen Constantine is to be named as they next head coach of Indian Super League side, East Bengal.

The man who, inn January 2016, Constantine led India to the SAFF Championship title, beating Afghanistan 2-1 in the final is coming back to India, now in club football.

Earlier it was revealed, Santosh Trophy-winning Kerala coach Bino George is set to be appointed as the reserve coach of football giants East Bengal.

About Stephen Constantine:

After retiring from playing, Constantine spent his early coaching career in the United States and Cyprus.

Constantine coached the Nepalese national team between 1999 and 2001, and was awarded a medal by the country's King. Constantine was then manager of the Indian national team from 2002 to 2005. After leaving India he was the first-team coach and reserve team manager for English club Millwall during the 2005–06 season. He has also worked in England for Bournemouth.

In January 2007 he was on a two-man shortlist, alongside Carlos Alberto da Luz, for the manager's job of the Malawi national team. He was named as Malawi manager in February 2007, with the role beginning on 1 March 2007. He resigned in April 2008.

He became manager of the Sudan national team in February 2009. After leaving Sudan he managed in the Cypriot domestic leagues with APEP and Nea Salamis Famagusta, the latter of which he guided to promotion in the Cypriot First Division. He was also manager of Ethnikos Achna from December 2012 to February 2013.

In July 2013 he was linked with the Jamaican national team vacancy. He became the assistant manager of Greek club Apollon Smyrni in November 2013. He set up the British Coaches Abroad Association in November 2013.

He became manager of the Rwandan national team in May 2014, taking charge of his first match in June. He stated his aim was to build a team strong enough to challenge for the 2016 African Nations Championship, which Rwanda were due to host. In December 2014 Rwanda attained their highest ever ranking, of 68th position. Constantine stated it was down to the hard work of his players and coaches. Later that month he was linked with a return to India as their new national manager, and in early January 2015 he was offered the position.

In December 2014, it was reported that Constantine would become the next head coach of India again, after Wim Koevermans' contract ran out. He would beat the favorite for the position, Ricki Herbert. On 16 January 2015, it was confirmed that Constantine had returned to take over India for a second stint.

On 25 February 2015, Constantine's first India squad was announced when the 32-man probables were revealed for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Nepal in March. His first match as India head coach came on 12 March 2015 in the qualifier against Nepal at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium. Two goals from Sunil Chhetri lead India to a 2–0 victory and lead going into the second leg in Kathmandu. A 0–0 draw at the Dasarath Rangasala Stadium saw India progress to the next round of World Cup/Asian Cup qualifying. As a result of India's top results against Nepal, the country saw a rise by 26 in the April FIFA World Rankings to 147.

In April 2015, it was announced that India would be placed in Group D for the World Cup/Asian Cup qualifiers with Asia's top side, Iran, as well as Oman, Turkmenistan, and Guam. The group stage did not begin well however as India fell 2–1 to both at home to Oman and away to Guam. The defeat to Guam brought about a lot of criticism of Constantine's men since the island of Guam was ranked well below India coming into the match and due to India's much larger population. In response, Constantine went into the media about how he believed that India should be allowed to use players of Indian origin and that if he was allowed to do so then India would have fared much better against Oman and Guam. In January 2016, Constantine led India to the SAFF Championship title, beating Afghanistan 2-1 in the final.