I-League side United Sikkim FC have named its CEO and former India star skipper Baichung Bhutia as the new interim coach to replace Belgian Phillipe de Ridder.

De Ridder has been shifted to the position of a Football Director and he will be handling the administrative issues of the club, while assistant coach Syed Altafuddin Ahmed has been fully discharged from his duties at the Sikkimese club.

The decision was taken after United Sikkim’s heavy 1-10 defeat against Prayag United SC in an I-League match at the Saltlake Stadium, Kolkata last weekend.

Baichung Bhutia, who remains the CEO of the club, will be in charge of the team as long as an adequate replacement has been found. Baichung and the team are currently training in Kolkata on their route to Goa for the next I-League encounter against Sporting Clube de Goa on November 18.