Ivan Vukomanovic criticizes other ISL clubs for not trusting Indian strikers

Ivan Vukomanovic also spoke about losing the finals on three occasions.

Kerala Blasters are arguably the most followed club in Indian football. The yellow army of Manjappada are always seen flaunting their Yellow jerseys wherever they play, be it home or away. The support, the artistic works, the hype they create for matchdays is second to none. 

With that being said, the on-field results have not yet been reimbursed compared to the support on the stands. The ISL has turned 10 but the Kochi-based side is yet to have a taste of the trophy.

In their quest for a coveted ISL trophy, Ivan Vukomanovic and his troops begin their journey yet again, for the 2023-24 season, in an opening day encounter against arch-rivals Bengaluru FC. A team against whom they do not have a very good memory after the fiasco in the ISL playoffs last season.

In the build-up to the upcoming season, the ISL Media day was organized in Kolkata. Kerala Blasters delegation including Head coach Ivan Vukomanovic, new summer signing Ishan Pandita and youngster Sourav Mandal took questions from the media and duly replied to them. Here are the best bits of the conversation.

Chances of glory

When questioned regarding his team's prospects for winning the trophy this season, Ivan Vukomanovic, the Serbian head coach, offered a thoughtful response. He emphasized the unpredictability of the Indian Super League (ISL) and quoted, “In ISL you cannot predict how far you can go. The beauty of this tournament is that any team can reach the knockouts. One can start badly, and then from nowhere can get into the top half of the league by winning a few matches. It is always challenging, and we are trying to prepare the best team so that it is ready to take on any opponent.”

Losing in the finals

KBFC have reached three finals in the last nine years with the latest being in in 2022 when they dramatically lost to Hyderabad FC in the penalties. The coach shared his views stating, “Once you reach the final, it is about one game and 90 or 120 minutes and then the tie-breaker, where it is more about luck or some individual motivation. We have so many teams around the world who have lost the final many times. It is part of the sport and we have to deal with it.”

On inclusion of Ishan Pandita

Coach Ivan shared his views on the inclusion of India international Ishan Pandita and stated that the club has always nurtured domestic players in important positions. He also took a dig at other clubs for not trusting Indian players for the No. 9 role. 

“Many coaches have the tendency of not preferring Indian forwards because of some fake pressure to find results. Most of the teams sign foreign strikers for that. And because of this fake pressure most of the coaches were not allowing Indian forwards with good profiles enough minutes on the ground,” he quipped.

Pandita’s views on ISL 

Ishan Pandita, who recently transferred to the team on the southwestern coast from Jamshedpur FC, shared his perspective on the Indian Super League (ISL). He reflected on how far the league has evolved since its inaugural season, “In the first season, the ISL had a lot of high-profile signings and I think we have come a really, really long way now in the 10th season. In terms of the quality of the players that we are signing - not just for the glitz and glamour of the league but to develop football in India. The infrastructure has picked up massively compared to when we started. I think overall, it’s growing in the right direction and football has a good future in India,” he concluded.