Need to show what we are made of, says Ivan Vukomanovic ahead of Mumbai City clash

The Kerala Blasters head coach also spoke on players' availability and the pressure to win matches.

Kerala Blasters FC head coach Ivan Vukomanovic said he is privileged to have been able to coach a huge club like KBFC with one of the best fan bases in the country. He further backed his team to come good in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 season ahead of their home clash against Mumbai City FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, in Kochi, on Friday.

Vukomanovic was accompanied by star midfielder Adrian Luna in the official pre-match press conference ahead of KBFC’s home match against Mumbai City FC. The KBFC head coach spoke about his side’s performance this season, dealing with pressure, and more.

Here are the excerpts from Vukomanovic’s press conference:

Would you say Kerala Blasters lacked intensity in the last match?

Ivan Vukomanovic: That is actually the easiest part in football, to fix the character and mentality of the players. It is true that we are not happy with the performances so far, but there are many games in the league to fight for every ball and duel, win every second ball because we want to create situations with more intensity and I want my players to respond. So, for Friday’s game, we have to be on the very top and hope to see our boys play responsibly.

We started the last game on a great note, and the opposition team (Odisha FC) imposed its tactics where we had to respond and unfortunately the opponents were more aggressive which made the difference. But, the good thing is we recognised the mistakes, worked on them and will try to improve them in the next game.

What went wrong in the second half against Odisha FC

Ivan Vukomanovic: At the beginning of the second half, there was a lack of concentration as was mentioned during half-time because some of the games in ISL are not about beautiful football. Many games are about showing the spirit and ability to fight and win the duels, second balls. These are the things that make the difference in football, if you are not ready to respond then you might lose the game.

Does playing attacking football affect the gameplan?

Ivan Vukomanovic: Before the last game, we knew that our opponent would like us to come higher up the pitch. It was the same case in the first half when their defenders stayed on the ball and pressed us up the pitch to stretch us wide and allow their forwards and midfielders to create space for scoring goals, which we did not want to do, certainly. It was all about tactical approach.

This season, the games are about finding a weakness in the opponent like in the last season where everybody wanted to see how the other teams were performing. We must avoid making the same mistakes and keep improving while being tactically strong.

How important is it in a short league like the ISL to not drop points in consecutive matches?

Ivan Vukomanovic: My team is competing in a professional sport. In any league the need to get the winning mentality, the positive attitude is very important especially for the team which is carrying the expectations of one of the best fans in the world. As a team we want to instil that for this season like we managed during the last season. The pressure is higher this season since we will be playing in front of the fans, unlike last season where it was behind closed doors.

We want to keep that level of competitiveness against every team in the league, we want to have that mindset and go for the three points. Kerala Blasters FC will not change.

Thoughts on Mumbai City FC

Ivan Vukomanovic: Mumbai City FC are always one of the top teams in the league who are title contenders come every season. They have a clear point of view and want to win every game. We are a team who want to keep battling with the elites of the competition. However, in professional sports, there are details that one has to always keep in consideration.

During the last season, we managed to play two quality games against them which is history. It is nice to talk about that, but we need to keep working hard and look forward to staying in the present moment which is the most important thing.

Is there any pressure to change approach after successive defeats?

Ivan Vukomanovic: In the last season or even since we started the current season of ISL, I do not let the pressure play a part in my life or in football. I consider it more of a pleasure to have been working with a club with such admiration for the game. In every sport, the players need to learn and embrace the pressure and cherish the moments because they work hard to get where they are. It is God’s gift to be able to play the game we love. So, the pressure should not take us away from enjoying the moments rather the players should feel privileged.

Any injury concerns?

Ivan Vukomanovic: Ayush Adhikari and Apostolos Giannou got on the training pitch recently, they are a part of the team and we have a full squad available. We had 23 players on the training pitch and will decide the team selection based on that. It is a luxurious problem for us, the kind of headache I am happy to have.

Kerala Blasters have somewhat lost the pace after a great start. Thoughts?

Ivan Vukomanovic: There is not much difference from how we started the last season, but in football things work in all directions. When you start winning, you have to keep up with that mindset which helps you gain confidence. When you lose, you have to keep your head down and respond. In sports, where there are individuals involved, when you win or lose the same kind of mentality goes every way. We have to perform on the pitch and show what we are made of. That is the only way to get back.

There was a lot of talk about the substitution that you made in the last game. What do you have to say about that decision?

Ivan Vukomanovic: I made that particular substitution (bringing on Nihal Sudeesh), because the team lacked firepower on the right side of the pitch. I want my team to play more centrally and the substitution we made was because the team had a lot of quality players who could play well from the centre of the pitch.

It was also a chance for me to watch how the team responds as many of the players are getting into the team and experiencing their first minutes.

Why new signing Saurav Mandal has not featured regularly?

Ivan Vukomanovic: He (Saurav) is a great young player coming from the I-League. But, there is a difference between the I-League and ISL and he knows that. He needs to work harder and get into the team gradually step by step. I am very happy with how he is training, he is a great character to work with.