General manager Fabio Rossi takes over team affairs at FC Elmstead after parting company with Marc Bentz

FC ELMSTEAD have appointed their general manager Fabio Rossi as their interim manager after parting company with Marc Bentz and his assistant Dave Smith last Wednesday.

Bentz last game in charge of the amateur club was a 2-0 home defeat to Premier Division side Sheppey United in the Southern Counties East Football League Challenge Cup Third Round on 8 January 2019.

Rossi took charge of yesterday’s 6-1 defeat at Tooting Bec in the London Senior Trophy Quarter-Finals and this will be his third spell as manager of the team.

FC Elmstead are in fourteenth-place (bottom five) in the First Division table, having collected five wins and four draws from their 19 league outings and are only five points clear of basement side Meridian VP.

“The club have parted with manager Marc Bentz and his assistant Dave Smith last Wednesday,” said the club statement.

“Marc was in charge for 18 months and last season took us to our highest ever league position.

“Unfortunately, this season, some really serious injuries to key players has halted the progress.

“The club wishes to thank Marc and his assistant Dave Smith for the fantastic job they did under their tenure.

“For an interim period, general manager Fabio Rossi has taken over.”

Bentz took over from Rossi to manage the side in September 2017 and he guided the homeless club to a top-eight finish in the league last season.

He was in charge for 60 games in all competitions and celebrated 23 wins, drew 12 of them and suffered 25 defeats during his tenure.