Emami East Bengal FC have terminated defender Ankit Mukherjee’s contract for alleged persistent misconduct.
His contract was till May 31. Mukherjee, 26, had shown his displeasure after being substituted during the ISL IX game against Kerala Blasters at home on February 3.
He was issued a showcause notice by the club management after which the footballer apologised for his behaviour. He had posted an apology on social media where he said he had thrown the team shirt on the spur of the moment.
“I was injured and the fact that I could not continue on the pitch because of that got the better of me. It was a reaction in the heat of the moment and had nothing to do with me being angry on (sic) anyone or the club at large (sic),” he wrote.
Previously, in a separate incident, Mukherjee had been fined Rs 1 lakh for dissent. Then also the feeling among a section of the club was that the management was too harsh on him.
Now questions are being asked if Emami East Bengal FC had a good enough reason to terminate a player’s contract.
Football is replete with incidents where players reacted after being substituted but facing the axe for that is something that has not been seen too often.
After the Kerala Blasters match, coach Stephen Constantine had said he was not sure if Mukherjee would don the team shirt again.
He has not been training with the team since February 4.
Mukherjee now finds himself in a Catch-22 situation. Will he take legal help to fight his case or suffer silently?
Bagan look for win
Calcutta: Only two playoff spots are up for grabs and ATK Mohun Bagan will be eager to seal one on Saturday as they take on Kerala Blasters in an ISL XI match at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.
ATKMB need three points from their remaining two games to confirm qualification, and will be looking to escape the pressure of a scrap with FC Goa and Odisha FC, both within touching distance of them on the table.
Head coach Juan Ferrando has been managing his recent weeks without two key players, Hugo Boumous and Ashique Kuruniyan.
In Boumous’ absence, Federico Gallego started the last three games but is yet to score.
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