Kerala Blasters in advanced talks with Ashley Westwood to replace David Catala

Former Bengaluru FC coach emerges as frontrunner as Blasters look for quick fix.

Things are moving quickly at Kerala Blasters FC. After a poor start to the 2025–26 Indian Super League season, the club are now actively pursuing a coaching change. As we reported earlier on Khel Now, David Català will be leaving.

Now, attention has shifted to who comes next.

Khel Now can exclusively reveal that Kerala Blasters are in advanced talks with Ashley Westwood to take over as head coach. Discussions are at a final stage and, if things go smoothly, an agreement could be reached within the next 24–48 hours.

“The new coach will need some time, so during the international break, give Kerala Blasters time to make changes and bring in a new head coach… Talks between both parties are at an advanced stage, and if all goes well, then they can sign the deal in the next 24-48 hours”, a source told Khel Now.

The timing works. There is an international break, which gives whoever comes in a small window on the training ground.

Why Westwood?

Kerala Blasters are looking for someone who knows the league, the travel, and the players. Westwood ticks that box.

Few foreign coaches understand the domestic circuit as well as Westwood. He is credited with building Bengaluru FC from scratch in 2013 alongside Pradhyum Reddy, and with winning two I-League titles and a Federation Cup during his three-year stint. He also brought a level of professionalism, from GPS tracking to stricter training standards, that stood out at the time.

He later had spells with ATK (as a caretaker manager) and Punjab FC. Westwood understands the mindset of Indian players and is unlikely to need much time to adapt to the ISL again.

He then moved into international football, taking charge of the Afghanistan national football team in November 2023 during a difficult phase when several players were boycotting the federation. Despite that, he guided them to a fourth-place finish in their World Cup qualifying group and oversaw a 2-1 win over India in Guwahati.

In August 2024, he became head coach of the Hong Kong national football team. After an early defeat, results improved and they qualified for the EAFF Championship. They also finished third in the King’s Cup with a win over Fiji. However, after missing out on AFC Asian Cup qualification following a loss to Singapore, he left the role by mutual consent.

What Westwood brings

Under Català, Kerala Blasters’ midfield has looked porous and has often been caught out in transition.

Ashley Westwood, on the other hand, is known for a more pragmatic approach. He typically prefers a structured 4-4-2 or a compact 4-3-3, focusing on defensive organisation, work rate, and quick transitions.

Right now, that probably suits Kerala Blasters more than anything else.

What next for Kerala Blasters?

Kerala Blasters’ next match is on 5 April 2026 against Sporting Club Delhi, another side in the bottom half.

If the deal is completed soon and Westwood gets some time during the break, even a short spell on the training ground could help.

For now, it depends on how quickly things move.