Rooney gets two years' extension

Newly crow-ned I-League champions Bengaluru FC have said that they have released midfield mainstay Johnny Menyongar after the end of the season.

The Liberian, who had been a very reliable performer for BFC, was not getting any younger and hence had been released from the roster.

The Blues coach Ashley Westwood, speaking on the sidelines of a felicitation function organised by the KSFA at the Bangalore Football Stadium on Wednesday, also said the club have extended Australia Sean Rooney’s contract for two more years.

“Sean Rooney has signed an extension, a two-year contract. We have looked after him and he’s put in a good shift. He actually played through a double hernia for the last four games and he deserves his new contract.

” Speaking on the possibility of new signings, Westwood said they were looking at a couple of players with English Premier League experience. “It will either be a central forward or a central midfielder. We are looking at players who have Premier League experience,” Westwood said.

He also described winning the FPAI Coach of The Year award as a ‘fantastic achievement’.

“I think it’s a fantastic achievement. It’s great and very rewarding when your peers decide that you are the best and vote for you. I thank everyone who voted for me.”
Westwood confirmed that BFC will be fielding a team in the forthcoming BDFA Super Division league.

“I won’t be here but Pradhyumn Reddy (BFC’s assistant coach) will be, as well as a lot of our squad. “We will respect the tournament and we will make sure that we play to our capacity.”

There are also plans in the pipeline for the club to go on a pre-season trip away from the country to get them ready for continental competition.

Westwood also indicated that he would look to get behind the scenes access at a couple of clubs back in the UK for research purposes to see what changes he could implement at BFC to make them better.

BFC also had an awards night in the city on Tuesday night, where centre-back Curtis Osano walked away with the biggest award - the Players’ Player Of The Year prize.