Booth to move

David Booth will be leaving Salgaocar soon

Former Phnom Penh Crown coach David Booth has turned the corner at Indian Premier League club Salgaocar after his new club suffered a shocking start to the season. The arrival of some new faces in the transfer window made the difference and they are now out of the relegation mire, and undefeated in their last four outings. However, Booth is not a happy bunny and after watching his players beat United Sikkim 9-0 he told the press he was on his way out. In his typical blunt style, he said; "I don't know (if Salgaocar will be one of the front-runners next season). I won't be here. They told me that they can't keep me. I've got some interested teams, but nothing concrete at the moment. I'll be going on a holiday. I won't be here after that, so good luck to them. I have worked all over the world so I'm prepared to go anywhere. I've got a lot of contacts." David, 64, is no stranger to Indian football having coached both Mahindra United (twice) and Mumbai, as well as being voted India's coach of the year in 2009. David joined the Goa-based club in November after leaving Crown, where he guided the club to the C-League title and the final of the AFC President's Cup.

Not a bed of roses

David Booth at a recent press conference in India

It's not been a bed of roses for former Phnom Penh Crown head coach David Booth since he took over the helm at Salgaocar FC in the Indian Premier League. His team remain without a win since his arrival and with six points from eight matches, they currently reside in the bottom five places, though a run of home games this month will give them something to look forward to. Scoring goals has been a problem for his team especially with Philippines striker Angel Guirado absent due to his involvement with his country's successful AFF Suzuki Cup campaign. Amongst Booth's squad is an Australian striker with a name to be reckoned with. Sean Rooney was with Newcastle Jets before joining Salgaocar in August from Indonesian Super League club Deltras. Forthright as ever, one of David's comments after a recent defeat was; "I do not have a magic wand. Even if a new coach comes in, there should not be huge problems in adapting," he explained. The vastly experienced Englishman was one of the first foreign coaches to be successful in Indian football when he won the Federation Cup with Mahindra United in 2003. He also won the President of Maldives Invitational Soccer Cup with them that year and then in his second job in India, he got newly-formed Mumbai promoted to the I-League in 2008. In his second spell with Mahindra, he took them to a fourth-place finish in the I-League and was voted Coach of the Year before the club were disbanded. In his first season in Cambodia with Crown, he guided them to the C-League title and the final of the AFC President's Cup.

A Brit in India

David Booth is off to India, again

Keeping you in the loop with David Booth, the recently departed Phnom Penh Crown head coach, who has wasted no time in being appointed as coach of Indian League team Salgaocar FC and will move into the hot seat in the 1st week of November. David is no stranger to Indian football having coached both Mahindra United (twice) and Mumbai, as well as being voted India's coach of the year in 2009. His new team Salgaocar won the I-League title in 2011 so they too are no strangers to success, like their new head coach. David had a number of options once it was known he was leaving Crown and I know that he has a penchant for India, having had lots of success there before. Throughout his time at Crown, behind the scenes, he was trying to resolve a contractual dispute with his previous club, Sisaket, with the case going all the way to FIFA, who were fully behind David. A few weeks ago the financial aspects of the case were finally resolved, in David's favour. It was a long-running headache where Sisaket dragged their feet, that the Crown coach couldn't done without. Anyway, he's currently enjoying some holiday-time with his family in Thailand, before he will head out to India soon enough. The I-League season is already underway, with Salgaocar, who are based in the West Indian state of Goa, holding a point from their two games played. Personally, I hope David has a great time back in India, he has a lot of respect and good things to say about Indian football, as I have great respect too for the no-nonsense Yorkshireman from Barnsley.