Mohammedan Sack Yan Law for ‘Not Doing What’s Told’, Minerva Owner Ranjit Bajaj to File for Defamation after Match-fixing Allegations

Controversy has struck Indian football yet again soon after the sport returned after the coronavirus pandemic-forced break.

Mohammedan Sporting on Sunday sacked their head coach Yan Law on charges of “leaking personal conversation” he had with the club’s top brass, hours after securing a resounding 4-1 win over ARA FC in the I-League Qualifiers.

The club’s general secretary Sheikh Wasim Akram also said Law was not gelling well with the team’s support staff, with several complaints being lodged against him.

Akram further said the club was mulling legal action against Law, who was earlier Punjab FC coach.

“We have sacked our coach with immediate effect. He was not a team man, and facing issues with our assistant coach, goalkeeping coach, manager. Everyday we were getting several complaints against him,” Akram told PTI.

“He also leaked my conversations by taking screen shots. I will take legal action against him.”

Assistant coach Syed Ramon will take charge of the team in the remainder of the I-League Qualifiers, a club statement read.

“Mohammedan Sporting Club on Sunday has terminated the contract with head coach Yan Law. The club has already sent a termination letter to Mr. Yan Law,” the statement said.

“The decision took immediate effect following reviews conducted by the club’s general secretary Wasim Akram and the club’s management. Assistant coach Syed Ramon will be in charge of the team for the remaining matches of the I-League qualifiers.”

Law, on his part, said he has resigned as head coach of the club.

“I have resigned as the Head Coach of Mohammedan Sporting Club from the i-league Qualifiers 2020. Best wishes to the Club for the remaining matches and their future in the i-league and ISL,” he wrote on his Twitter handle.

“There have been a few issues between me and the club off the field and I think it’s best that we part ways. I cannot disclose anything further as of now and I think its best that we move on. I wish the club all the best for its remaining two matches (in the I-League Qualifiers) and for its future in the I-League and the Indian Super League, Law later told Sportstar.

Akram interestingly said Law had his ways to pick the playing XI in the first match without paying heed to the club officials.

“We had a below-par show and managed to win (1-0) somehow. So we picked the team for today’s match.”

Mohammedan Sporting looked rusty in the first match against Garhwal FC and won by a last-gasp goal by Munmun Lugun.

For their second match against ARA FC on Sunday, Mohammedan Sporting made six changes which included benching Lugun, a former Punjab FC defender.

All this after accusations of ‘match-fixing’ against Minerva Academy owner, Ranjit Bajaj.

Reports in some bengali newspapers suggested that Bajaj stayed in the same hotel that Mohammedan players were put up. With ex-Minerva players in the current Mohammedan set along with coach Law, Mohammedan board were alarmed.

It may be important to note that Minerva Academy is holding trials in Kolkata on Monday.

“After the first match or rather even before the first match there was a problem with the head coach. He does not listen to his fellow coaches – be it the assistant coach, the goalkeeper coach, the team manager who has been with the team for the last 18 years, or the management. I have requested him many times to not play with certain players and play with others instead,” Wasim Akram clarified to Sportstar that after the sacking of Yan.

“On the first day we told him to not play certain players in the starting XI and have them on the bench, he went against the management and fielded them in the starting XI. We had a disaster, and it was a very bad performance. Yes, we scored in the last minute, but the entire 90 minutes we were horrible.”

News18.com has also learnt that it was discussed on Saturday that Law’s name would not be mentioned on the team sheet. However, that did not happen on Sunday.

The insinuation from the media reports suggest that the ex-Minerva players were being asked to fix matches on the directions of Ranjit Bajaj.

Bajaj on Sunday said that he would file a case of ‘criminal and civil defamation case’ against Mohammedan higher-ups along with two Bengli newspapers.

“As per legal advice a criminal and civil defamation case.  FIR is being lodged tomorrow against Dipendu Biswas, Wasim Akram, Mohammedan and Bengali newspaper Aajkal and Yuvabharti  u/s 499 IPC for making and spreading untrue, false and baseless allegations against me in print media,” Bajaj tweeted.

Law became the youngest ever to coach an I-League club when he took charge of Punjab FC last season at the age of 26.

He also has the distinction of being the youngest AFC A License holder coach in Indian football.