New Delhi: Bengaluru FC (BFC) has parted ways with head coach Albert Roca Thursday after the Spaniard decided not to renew his contract which ends this month, leaving the side after two highly successful seasons.
The 55-year-old, who took up the head coach’s job in July 2016 for a two-year tenure after Ashley Westwood stepped down from the post, cited personal reasons for not renewing the contract.
“Bengaluru FC and more importantly Indian football will always be grateful for the path that Albert Roca has shown us. Even in difficult situations he stayed true to his philosophy and brand of football and that is a testament to the manager and person he is,” BFC CEO Parth Jindal said in a statement.
Roca’s decision came a day after he guided BFC to the knock-out stages of the AFC Cup, courtesy a 4-0 drubbing of Abahani Limited Dhaka at the Bangladesh capital Wednesday. The next round – inter-zonal play-off semifinals – of the AFC Cup will be played in August.
Roca’s impressive two-year spell saw BFC become the first Indian club to make the final of AFC Cup in 2016. His first assignment for BFC was the knock-out stages in the AFC Cup in 2016 and he went on to steer the ‘Blues’ all the way to final in Qatar where they went down 0-1 to Iraq’s Air Force Club.
His success was also highlighted by the Federation Cup (2017) and Super Cup (2018) titles that the club won to maintain the record of winning a trophy every season since its inception in 2013. The only title that eluded Roca was when BFC finished runners-up in the ISL-IV in the club’s debut season.
Roca, a former Barcelona FC assistant coach who arrived in the country at the start of 2016-17 season, left a lasting impression on Indian football with his philosophy of possession-based and free-flowing game.
Roca said though short, his stint at Bengaluru FC would always remain a special story in his career. “It was one of the toughest decisions I have had to make in my managerial career but it’s the right one. Bengaluru FC has been an experience I will always carry with me, no matter where I go,” he said.
“The owners, the management, my staff, players and most importantly, the fans walked with me every step of this journey and I can never forget the love and support I have received here. I will miss being on the touchline for this club, but will always follow its progress.”