Five-time champions Abahani will have to make do without their coach Dragon Mamic for the remainder of the Bangladesh Premier League after the Croat left the club on expiry of his contract with eight games of the league still remaining.

The 63-year-old reportedly joined Thai League outfit Chainat Hornbill on Thursday after informing the club during his vacation in Croatia on Nov 26 that he would not be able to return to Bangladesh for personal reasons.

Mamic had left for Croatia after Abahani's last match on November 22 when the league was suspended due to the Asian Archery Championships.

He was with the Sky Blues for 11 months and guided them in the AFC Cup and helped them win this year's Federation Cup.

However, his departure at the end of his contract would have been fine for the club had the league run on time, which was originally scheduled to conclude within November.

Last season George Kottan, too, had left Abahani at the end of his contract with three games left, but the club clinched the title with a game in hand. However, this time they are much worse off, sitting in third with 30 points, five behind leaders Chittagong Abahani.

Club manager Satyajit Das Rupu lamented the coach's departure.

“Had the league ended on scheduled time [Oct 22] in line with the original calendar, Mamic could have left the club having guided in the league,” Rupu said, adding that the club was in talks with him to extend contract for the remainder of the league as well as for the next AFC Cup.