ISL 2025-26: Kerala Blasters FC announce appointment of Ashley Westwood as head coach
Ashley joins Kerala Blasters as a replacement for David Catala
After a disappointing start to the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 season, bagging in only one point out of the possible eighteen points, Kerala Blasters parted ways with their head coach, David Catala, after their disappointing 3-1 loss against Punjab FC.
Following this, as reported by Khel Now earlier, Kerala Blasters FC have completed the signing of their new manager, Ashley Westwood who brings in a lot of experience of Indian Football.
The 49-year-old will take charge of the first team with immediate effect, with preparations ongoing for the upcoming fixtures.
Ashley has already arrived in Kochi and will begin working with the squad as the team returns to training in the coming days.
“We welcome Ashley to the club. He brings valuable experience and familiarity with Indian football. We look forward to his work with the squad over the remainder of the season,” said Kerala Blasters FC CEO, Abhik Chatterjee.
“Kerala Blasters is a club with immense support and expectation. I’m fully aware of the responsibility that comes with this role. I’m looking forward to working with the squad and staff and understanding the group in the coming days. My focus is on settling in and getting to work with the players.” Ashley spoke on his appointment.
Ashley Westwood has managed three Indian teams earlier
Ashley, after almost making 400-plus appearances as a player, transitioned into the management side in 2012, where he took charge as the player-manager for Kettering.
Later, under coach Michael Appleton, Ashley worked as the assistant coach for clubs like Portsmouth and Blackpool.
His arrival in Indian Football took place in 2013, when he took charge as the head coach of Bengaluru FC.
In a span of around three years at the club, the manager made 75 appearances as head coach and led the team to two I-League titles and a Federation Cup triumph.
After having a brief stint at a Malaysian club, Penang FC, he returned to India as the Technical Director of ATK and later went on to become their caretaker manager.
Then he moved to Punjab FC before being assigned the responsibility as the head coach of the Afghanistan National Football Team in 2023.
Then he went on to manage the Hong Kong National Football Team, where he featured for 20 matches, averaging 1.70 points per match, one of his career best performances after his stint at Bengaluru FC.
After parting ways with the team in late 2025, the gaffer now joins Kerala Blasters FC as their head coach for the remainder of the Indian Super League 2025-26 season.
Westwood arrives in Kochi with a managerial profile built on structure, resilience, and a winning pedigree. Ashley is a coach who understands both the Indian football landscape and the demands of building a football identity that endures beyond results.
His teams are typically defined by organisation without the ball, intensity in transitions, and a collective accountability that mirrors the standards of elite dressing rooms.
As Kerala Blasters continue their struggle at the bottom of the table, fighting in the relegation battle, the arrival of Ashley would provide the fans with a sigh of relief.
If Ashley could somehow make a turnaround and prevent Blasters from getting relegated, he could be one of the most loved managers in the club’s history, which the fans would remember with gratitude despite not having a league-winning season.
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Niranjan R Prabhu is an Economics student from Kochi with an enduring passion for Indian football, especially as a devoted Kerala Blasters FC fan — a club he considers part of his life. Beyond the game, he writes on culture, Indian economic development, and sustainability, always eager to explore ideas in depth. His days are a balancing act between college, writing, and travel.