I-League 2017-18: East Bengal boss Khalid Jamil accepts responsibility for Kolkata derby loss but refuses to step down

Kolkata: Shouts of “Khalid Jamil go back” filled the Salt Lake Stadium after East Bengal’s second derby defeat of the I-League season but the defiant coach, while taking responsibility for the reverse, refused to step down.

Mohun Bagan forward Dipanda Dicka’s magical double strikes inside 34 minutes snapped East Bengal’s eight-match unbeaten run as the Mariners claimed the bragging rights by winning both the derby matches of the season.

East Bengal’s hopes for a maiden title suffered a big blow as the former I-League winning coach of Aizawl FC acknowledged his team’s fallacies and took full responsibility of the debacle.

“I admit that it was 100 per cent my mistake. I have no excuse. We made mistakes and I take full blame,” Jamil said at the post-match conference.

“Our preparation was not ideal, we could not tackle their attack. We should have been more defensive. But I am not a coward… I am not stepping down. I accept full responsibility and we will fight back.”

Asked whether their I-League title hopes went up in smoke, Jamil said: “I can’t comment about it right now. But what I can say is that East Bengal do not deserve to be in this situation.”

The turning point of the game was Dicka’s early goal that put East Bengal under pressure as Mohun Bagan put up a dominating display, Jamil said.