Desmond Bulpin named as new Shillong Lajong FC coach

Scotsman Desmond Donaldson Bulpin will be back in India in the upcoming 2012/13 season as the head coach of I-League side Shillong Lajong FC. The Northeastern club at a press conference at the Shillong Press Club today announced that Bulpin would be joining them on a two year contract.

Shillong Lajong General Secretary Larsing Ming Sawyan said, "We are happy to have Desmond Bulpin join Lajong and we are hopeful that the experience that he brings with him will be highly beneficial to the I League team as well as our Youth development programme. Our objective over the next two years is to nurture talent across the North Eastern Region and with Desmond on board, I believe our plans have received a major fillip."

The 61 year old Bulpin had been coach of the Indian Arrows a couple of seasons back, the AIFF's Developmental side which is now called Pailan Arrows besides also coaching the India Under-23s in the 2012 London Olympic qualifiers.

As Arrows coach Bulpin is credited for the rise of young talent like Jeje Lalpekhlua, Lalrindika Ralte, Raju Gaikwad and other players, but after a season he had to go which many see as having been a big mistake by the AIFF.

Bulpin is an experienced coach who back in England has worked for football clubs such as Tottenham Hotspurs, Queens Park Rangers, Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, Stockport County, Plymouth Argyle and Leicester City. Thereafter he worked internationally in Singapore, Uzbekistan and the Philippines before coming to India.

Desmond Bulpin said, "It is a privilege to join Shillong Lajong Football Club with one of the largest support base in Indian football club plus a Chairman and a Board of Directors who are building a Football Club through their academy. I look forward to working with the Supporters, Directors, Players and all the members Shillong Lajong to take the club forward to become one of the best clubs in India."

Meanwhile the coach of the last two seasons Pradhyum Reddy will remain at the club and look after the youth development program.

At the press meet the club also announced the contract extensions of Wailadmi Passah, John D. Menyongar, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Potsangbam Renedy Singh and Sushil Kumar Singh; while the club has newly signed goalkeeper Sanasam Basant Singh (United Sikkim FC), defenders Govin Moirangthem Singh (United Sikkim FC) and Rollingson Hungyo (Pune FC), midfielders Chitrasen Chandam Singh (Churchill Brothers SC) and Jibon Singh (Pailan Arrows), besides handing a short-term contract to North Korean under-23 international Mil-Chol Son.

With such signings and more to come Lajong aim to be in the top half of the I-League after finishing 10th last season, their best-ever finish.