ISL 2021-22 | SC East Bengal rope in Leslie Cleevely as their goalkeeping coach
Leslie Cleevely has worked with goalkeepers like Edwin van der Sar and Petr Cech in the past
|Former Chelsea FC goalkeeping coach Leslie Cleevely has been roped in by SC East Bengal to help their custodians for the upcoming season of the Indian Super League. He will be joining the setup under head coach Manuel Diaz at the Kolkata-based club, a club making their second appearance in the ISL.
SC East Bengal have strengthened their coaching staff byĀ signing former Chelsea FC goalkeeping coach Leslie Cleevely for the upcoming season of the Indian Super League. A UEFA āAā license holder, Leslie has over 20 years of coaching experience, having started his career at Millwall FC. Following this, he worked with players like Edwin van der Sar and Maik Taylor at Fulham FC between 1999-2002 before moving to Crystal Palace as the head goalkeeper coach.
Cleevely also worked at Tottenham Hotspur FC as an academy goalkeeper coach, before switching to Chelsea FC in 2007, where he spent four years, working with the likes of Petr Cech, Carlo Cudicini, and Hilario. His latest assignment was with the Bangladesh national football team, before signing over the dotted line for the ISL club.
āI have experience of working in this part of world. Being part of Bangladesh national team setup where fans are very passionate about their football, I understand the sentiment well. SC East Bengal is a massive football club and I am proud to be part of that," said Leslie Cleevely, after completing the formalities.
SC East Bengal have three goalkeepers - Arindam Bhattacharya, Sankar Roy, and Suvam Sen in their ranks, with Arindam, also winning the āgolden gloveā award in the previous season. The red and gold brigade will begin their 2021-22 ISL journey against Jamshedpur FC on November 21, at the Tilak Maidan, in Goa.
āI have done my homework on the goalkeepers we have and I will do what needs to be done to bring the best out of them. All three goalkeepers are experienced and I am sure they will come out with flying colours," added the incoming coach.
