Former India footballer and renowned coach Subhas Bhowmick breathed his last after a long battle with kidney problems at a private hospital in the wee hours of Saturday. He was 72. (More Football News)
A member of the Indian team that won a bronze at the 1970 Asian Games, Subhas Bhowmick played for both Kolkata giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan during his playing days. He also represented India in the 1974 Asian Games and scored a hat-trick against the Philippines in the Merdeka Cup in 1971.
“He had to undergo dialysis regularly for about three and half months. He also underwent bypass surgery about 23 years ago. Recently, he was admitted to a private hospital in Ekbalpur with a chest infection," a family source said.
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After hanging up his boots in 1979, Subhas Bhowmick quickly switched to coaching making his debut on the field as the coach of Mohun Bagan before joining East Bengal where he became most successful guiding red and gold to the ASEAN Cup title in 2003.
Bhowmick also coached East Bengal to successive National Football League titles and replicated the success with Churchill Brothers as its technical director as he was known as the 'Jose Mourinho' of Kolkata Maidan.
"You were and always will be a very important person in my life thanks for everything's that you did for me. Gratitude is the only word I have to write in this sad moment in my life," grieved former East Bengal footballer Douglas.
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Subhas Bhowmick had been unwell for the past few months and his situation deteriorated in the last few days. On Friday, the Indian Football Association, East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting Club along with Sports Minister Arup Biswas, took the initiative for his good treatment.
But before anything could be done, everything was finished. Subhas Bhowmick was also undergoing regular dialysis for the past three and a half months. He also underwent heart bypass surgery three years ago. Former India captain IM Vijayan too expressed grief and stated Subhash Bhowmick's passing away is a big loss to Indian football.
"He was my coach when I joined Mohun Bagan. I had a great relationship with him. The last time I met him was during a program in Kolkata and we had a long chat about football and life. I even had once called him to coach in one of the academies in Kerala and he didn't disappoint me," Vijayan told Outlook.
A muscular right-winger, he shook the opponent's defence with his powerful dribbling skills as he ruled the Maidan for almost a decade after making his debut at the tender age of 19 years from the Rajasthan Club.
After playing one season for East Bengal, Bhowmick joined the rival club Mohun Bagan where he played there for three years and returned to the red-and-gold brigade. His career was also marred with controversy as he was arrested after being found guilty in a bribery case and was jailed back in 2005.
