ISL: Odisha FC rope in Steven Dias as assistant coach ahead of seventh season

Odisha FC have signed former India international Steven Dias as the new assistant coach of the team ahead of the seventh season of the Indian Super League. The 36-year-old former attacking mid-fielder has joined Odisha FC on a one-year deal, the club said in a statement. After drawing curtains on his playing career with the national team and many reputed clubs like Air India, Mahindra United, Churchill Brothers, Delhi Dynamos, and Mumbai FC, Dias had joined Jamshedpur FC as its assistant coach last year. Besides, Odisha FC has also brought back Spanish strength and conditioning coach Joan Casanova for the upcoming season. “Steven has a successful playing career and the players look up to him. He will be a valuable asset for us while he develops as a coach,” Odisha FC head coach Stuart Baxter said. “Joan gives us continuity and the players are comfortable with him and we are on the same page concerning football conditioning and recuperation,” he added. Dias too was delighted with his new assignment. “The club’s forward thinking vision of developing young Indian talent was a major factor in determining my decision to become a part of the project,” he said. On his return to Odisha FC and Indian football, Casanova said, “I am happy to be back at Odisha FC and work in the ISL. Last season we had so many challenges.” “We hope in the upcoming season, we can compete as good as the last one and get inside the playoffs which is the goal for the club.”