Chennaiyin FC extends John Gregory's contract

Chennaiyin FC on Saturday announced that their head coach John Gregory has inked a new deal, which will keep the Englishman at the club till the end of the 2019-20 season.

Interestingly, the Englishman has been handed over a new contract by the club on his 65th birthday.

"It truly is a great feeling extending my stay with the Chennaiyin family. My journey so far in India has really given me the whole range of emotions and experience, after the ISL title triumph in the first season followed by the disappointment in the same competition last season," club' official website quoted Gregory, as saying.

"And I feel I have some unfinished business here. The objective is to reward our loyal and unconditional supporters with a memorable AFC Cup journey and the chance to challenge for a third ISL trophy. We will all fight together and certainly come back stronger than ever before to achieve these goals," he said.

Gregory is the first Englishman to win an ISL title and for this, he was presented with the League Managers' Association (LMA) Special Achievement Award in May last year. Later, in July 2018, he was also awarded the ISL Coach of the Year trophy by the Association of Indian Football Coaches (AIFC) for winning the ISL in his first-ever coaching stint in India.

"John continuing to lead us is fantastic news for everyone associated with Chennaiyin FC. Despite a difficult ISL campaign, the team has displayed incredible resolve to turn things around in the Super Cup and now the AFC Cup under John's tutelage. His professional attitude and commitment to the Chennaiyin cause are exemplary. We look forward to a memorable AFC Cup run before fighting it out for a coveted third ISL trophy next season," said Vita Dani, Chennaiyin FC co-owner.