East Bengal supporters will tell you that they’d rather have Armando Colaco in the dugout next season than anyone else. And why not?

After taking over from Marcos Falopa, the Brazilian whose disastrous reign at the club left them reeling early on in the season after heavy losses in the AFC Cup and insipid performances in the I-League, Colaco has guided the Kolkata team to a strong second in the I-League table behind Bengaluru FC, new crowned I-League Champions.

His influence on the team can be explained by looking at the clubs’ results since the month of December 2013, a run that had seen them lose just twice in the last fourteen I-League matches.

Although a relatively tame Federations Cup exit will be playing on the most pessimistic of minds, there can be no doubt that East Bengal have flourished under his continued stewardship in the league.

The management of the club seem to have felt this as well as they have taken steps to mitigate the uncertainty around his role at the club for the 2014-15 I-League season by offering him a new contract to stay with the Red and Gold of Kolkata.

“He is yet to sign the agreement, but we have had very positive talks with him," informed one of the East Bengal officials.

It is reliably learnt that the officials from the Kolkata club had more than two-hour meeting with Colaco on Monday.