Had to decline contract extension at Odisha FC due to personal reasons, reveals Josep Gambou
Outgoing Odisha FC manager Josep Gambou has revealed that he was offered a contract extension by the club, which he had to decline owing to personal reasons. The Spaniard was roped in by Delhi Dynamos in 2018, following which he was inducted into the Odisha FC set-up in the previous season of ISL.
Even though Delhi Dynamos FC finished at a low lying eighth position in the 2018-19 ISL, Josep Gambou was retained for yet another season, with the club shifting its base to Bhubaneswar. Odisha FC, in its debut season, was once in contention for a top-four finish but slipped away at the business end of the league. Josep Gambou, who was responsible for producing an exciting brand of football, was offered a contract extension but according to the Spaniard, he had to decline the offer owing to personal reasons.
“It was an excellent experience in India. I and my family had a very good time. I was happy with Delhi Dynamos and subsequently with Odisha FC. The club offered me a contract extension. But I had to decline it. My two kids are six and eight years old. In Delhi, we had good schools. But things were different in Bhubaneshwar,” said Jodep Gambou, as reported by Goal.comÂ
“We could not manage the things in the way that we would have liked to. It is necessary to provide my kids with the best possible education. Last season, my family was in Delhi and I was in Bhubaneswar. I do not want this kind of life. I put in a lot of thought. Unfortunately, things cannot change. So I decided to leave," added the manager.
Josep Gambou has spent considerable time in Asia, with him previously having involved himself in stints with Kitchee FC, Adelaide United FC and Western Sydney Wanderers. Recently, Odisha FC appointed Stuart Baxter as their new head coach ahead of the new season which is set to begin in November, later this year.Â