I-League 2020-21: East Bengal interested in Costa Rica's World Cup coach

Kolkata football giants East Bengal have reportedly offered Oscar Ramirez, the man who coached the Costa Rican national in the Russia 2018 World Cup, the position of head coach ahead of the upcoming season.

As per a report by ESPN, the Costa Rican coach has been courted by the century-old club which currently plies its trade in the I-League. Ramirez left coaching after his stint with the national team at the World Cup and is said to have completely moved away from football, but apparently he has been tempted by the offer.

If Ramirez does take up the job, he would return to competitive football after a gap of two years. A former national team footballer, his coaching career took off right after he retired. He won the Campeonato de Invierno four times and the Campeonato de Verano once with LD Alajuelense and was even named the Costa Rican Manager of the Year in 2012.

The 55-year-old’s last record at the World Cup, however, is nothing to write home about with Costa Rica being knocked out in the group stages itself after losing to Neymar's Brazil and Serbia and drawing with Switzerland.

https://twitter.com/OptaJoe/status/1006151584567488512

"Indeed, we can confirm that there is an interest from an Asian team to have the services of Óscar Ramírez," Juan Vicente Carvajal of 506 Sport Corp., the agency that represents the coach, was quoted saying by ESPN.

Incidentally, this is not the first Costa Rican World Cupper to have been linked with East Bengal. Previously, Johnny Acosta, who played under Ramirez at the Russia World Cup, had turned out the Red and Golds in the 2018-19 season.

With the current season unlikely to be continued, East Bengal are already making vast plans for their next campaign. As reported by us, they have been in talks with American consumer goods company Procter and Gamble over a possible investment and are likely to feature in the Indian Super League (ISL), which has been declared as the country’s premier division.

The club is keen on making a strong team, capable enough of competing against the best teams in India, and their interest in such an experienced coach like Ramirez is a testament of that intent.

Also read: East Bengal in talks with possible investors, to enter ISL