East Bengal assistant coach Warren Hackett has been suspended for four matches by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) after allegedly abusing the match officials during East Bengal's I-League match against Churchill Brothers earlier this season.
Robin Singh and Robert Lalthlamuana, two Red and Golds players were also named in the match commissioner's report, but have not received any punishment. The Kolkata club, having already anticipated the punishment, had taken the flight to Chennai City without Hackett. However, the AIFF has made it clear that the suspension will be effective only after the decision has been made public, which means the former Tottenham Hotspur player's I-League campaign in the East Bengal dug-out is over for this season.
East Bengal, who are eager to win their first ever I-League title, are going through a rough patch, having lost three of their last five matches. The squad, which along with its gaffer enjoyed a short vacation, resumed practice on Friday while Trevor James Morgan is expected to be on charge from Monday. They will play a couple of practice matches against its own academy and Southern Samity before facing arch-rivals Mohun Bagan in the second leg of the Kolkata derby on 9th April.