The English coach joins the Islanders after spells at Leicester City, Wigan Athletic, Como and Morecambe, replacing Manolo Marquez following a winless start to the ISL campaign.

Kolkata, November 14: Mumbai City FC have appointed English coach Ashvir Singh Johal as their new Head Coach for the remainder of the 2026–27 Indian Super League season. The appointment comes eight days after the club mutually parted ways with Manolo Marquez, who left following a disappointing start to the campaign.

Johal, who was born in Leicester, England, will take charge of the Islanders for the remainder of the season, with the club confirming that he will arrive in India and join the squad shortly.

The coach has built his coaching career across England and Europe, gaining experience in youth development, first-team coaching and senior management. His journey began at local non-league side Guru Nanak Gurdwara FC, where he worked as both a player and coach before joining Leicester City’s academy. He spent a decade at the club, coaching across its youth development structure up to the Under-18 level.

His move into senior football came during the 2022–23 season when he joined Wigan Athletic as Assistant Coach to former Arsenal defender Kolo Toure. He later moved to Italy, working alongside Cesc Fabregas with Como’s Primavera setup during the 2023–24 season.

Johal subsequently took charge of Notts County’s B team between 2024 and 2025 before being appointed Head Coach of Morecambe FC in 2025. His appointment at Morecambe made him the youngest head coach in the top five divisions of English football. He also holds the UEFA Pro Licence, the highest coaching qualification awarded by European football’s governing body.

Mumbai City Director of Football Sujay Sharma expressed confidence in the club’s decision, highlighting Johal’s coaching background, understanding of modern football and alignment with the Islanders’ established playing philosophy.

Sujay Sharma acknowledged that Johal is still at an early stage of his senior managerial career but believes his footballing ideas, ambition and experience across different coaching environments make him suitable for the role.

The Director of Football also underlined the club’s immediate priorities, which include improving the team’s performances, competing for results and creating opportunities for Indian players to establish themselves at the highest level.

Johal, meanwhile, described joining Mumbai City as an exciting opportunity, pointing to the club’s identity and footballing philosophy as key factors behind his decision. He expressed his eagerness to work with the squad and coaching staff, with his immediate focus on building a strong collective unit and preparing the team to compete in every match.

Manolo Marquez’s short stint comes to an end!

Johal’s arrival follows the departure of Spanish coach Manolo, with Mumbai City FC confirming on November 6 that both parties had mutually agreed to part ways for the remainder of the 2026–27 season.

Marquez’s tenure ended after just four ISL matches, during which Mumbai City failed to register a victory, recording two draws and two defeats. Their final outing under the Spaniard ended in a 2–3 defeat against Sporting Club Delhi, despite initially establishing a two-goal advantage in their first home fixture of the season.

Marquez had joined Mumbai City in July 2026 after previously guiding Hyderabad FC to the ISL title in the 2021–22 season and FC Goa to domestic success. He had also served as the head coach of the Indian men’s national team.

With Johal now taking charge, Mumbai City will look to find greater consistency and get their campaign back on track. The Englishman faces the challenge of translating his coaching experience into results in Indian football as the Islanders prepare for the remainder of the ISL season.