With Subrata Bhattacharya putting in his papers after the club's poor show in the ongoing I-league, East Bengal on Wednesday named Monoranjan Bhattacharya as their new soccer coach.

Subrata, who became coach this season and guided the club to the Federation Cup title, sent his resignation letter to the club secretary citing 'health reasons'.

"Subrata Bhattacharya said in his letter that he is not physically fit to continue in the post. So the club executive committee after a two-hour deliberation named Monoranjan as the new coach," secretary Kalyan Majumdar told reporters.

Asked whether other names were also discussed for the coach's job, he said, "We had a lot of choices but we decided to opt for Monoranjan considering his long association with the club."

He said Monoranjan would be in the saddle till the end of the I-league.

"After that he will sit with us and decide whether he will continue."

East Bengal are hovering dangerously over the relegation zone in the 10-team I-league, having managed to gather only eight points from 11 matches.

With two teams slated to be demoted to the second division, the red and gold brigade are now placed ninth above wooden spooners Salgaocar Sports Club.

Subrata's head was very much on the chopping block after East Bengal suffered a 0-3 drubbing against JCT on Monday.

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