ATK struggling because of change in coaching staff: Ganguly

Two-time Indian Super League (ISL) champions ATK co-owner Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday blamed the change in coaching staff for the team's poor run of form this season, adding they failed to get the combination right.

ATK have won just three games this season and are languishing in the eighth spot. After losing to Jamshedpur FC in their last outing, they all but blew away their chances of reaching the playoffs for the first time in all three seasons.

ATK also sacked their English coach Teddy Sheringham after a string a poor results with technical director Ashley Westwood taking over interim charge.

"We had a new coach and with the new coach comes in his set of ideas. The team was new and so was the coaching staff. We had a Spanish coach and (a clutch of) Spanish players in the last two years. We won the title two times out of three. You won't be winning all the time. But yes, we could not get our combination right," Ganguly told reporters on the sidelines of a Cricket Year Book's 20th anniversary.

In the first year, Spanish coach Antonio Habas helped ATK win the inaugural title with the team, then losing to eventual champions Chennaiyin FC in the semifinal in 2015 under Habas. In 2016, as Habas moved to FC Pune City, fellow Spaniard Jose Molina took over helping the city-based side clinch their second title.

But since then, with Spanish outfit Atletico Madrid snapping their ties with the club, the owners decided to put their faith on English coaches.

"The change in management did not work for us. Lets see I will talk to (co-owner) Sanjiv (Goenka) and decide at the end of the season," Ganguly added.

ATK have lost their last three games and play league leaders Bengaluru FC at home on February 3.

--IANS

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