ISL 2020-21: SC East Bengal to loan out nine domestic players in January window

Indian Super League (ISL) new boys SC East Bengal are set to loan out as many as nine domestic players in the January transfer window, according to a report by Goal. The nine players in question are Balwant Singh, Gurtej Singh, Rafique Ali Sardar, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, CK Vineeth, Samad Ali Mallick, Abhishek Ambekar, Mohammed Irshad and Anil Chavan.

Head coach Robbie Fowler has made his displeasure with the quality of his Indian contingent known on multiple occasions this season. Statements on the quality of coaching that they have received before as well as his side being assembled with the I-League as the target competition have done the rounds recently, much to the anguish of Red and Gold fans. Now this news might come as a shock to them after what has been an extremely poor start to their debut ISL campaign.

Gurtej and Rafique Ali are reportedly on the verge of joining fellow Kolkata giants Mohammedan Sporting while Lyngdoh is said to be close to a move to another ISL club. The fate of the rest of the players still hangs in the balance. For the uninitiated, SC East Bengal entered this season’s ISL as the 11th team in October and could only start their preparations thereafter. As a result, their team building exercise took a hit as the club management raced against time to assemble a competitive squad.

Curiously, none of these players were brought in by the current regime of Fowler and his assistant Anthony Grant. Now, with just two points from six games, Fowler needs to get his shopping list in order before the transfer window begins as the legacy club try to turn their season around. He would be hoping that a few fresh faces will infuse energy into his beleaguered side and help them focus better for the battles ahead.