Kerala Blasters FC appoint Peter Hartley as assistant coach for ISL 2025-26

Peter Hartley joins as the assistant coach under Ashley Westwood

Kerala Blasters FC are set to appoint former ISL Shield winner Peter Hartley as the assistant coach for the remainder of ISL 2025-26 under head coach Ashley Westwood, Khel Now can exclusively confirm this development.

This comes as a major reshuffle happening in the coaching set up of the Blasters after the poor ISL season they had so far under former coach David Catala. Earlier Ashley Westwood joined Kerala Blasters FC after the departure of David Catala and now the management looks to completely restructure the coaching set up.

Peter Hartley brings ISL experience with him

The Englishmen has spent some major years in India and understands the way the league operates. He has previously played for Jamshedpur FC in ISL and has also spent some time playing for Inter Kashi in the lower division.

Under his captainship Jamshedpur FC lifted the ISL shield and became one of the most formidable sides in Indian football. He joined the Men of Steel in 2020 under head coach Owen Coyle at that time and said goodbye to the team in 2023, later joining Hartlepool in England.

After not very long, the English defender returned to Indian Football, this time with Inter Kashi FC. His experience overall in the Indian football circuit can be very beneficial for the Blasters as they are currently going through one of the darkest phases of the club’s history.

It is also an opportunity for Peter Hartley to start this new chapter of his footballing career, transforming through a player to a coach on a good note and under an experienced coach like Ashley Westwood.

What does his signing bring on the table?

The time that Kerala Blasters are currently going through has been very disappointing, especially for their loyal fans who have announced a full boycott against the club’s management highlighting not just the current results but also the long going breach in trust between the Kerala Blasters management and the fanbase.

The advent of Peter Hartley in this coaching set up can be very crucial as the club now aims for a complete rebuild. The appointment not only focuses on the coming seasons, but also the current relegation battle that the club is facing.

With Indian football experienced figures like Ashley Westwood and Peter Hartley now leading the club, both the team and the fans have every reason to feel positive.

They understand the club’s current situation as well as the situation of Indian football, which should help them move the side in the right direction and avoid relegation this season, hopefully building towards a much stronger finish.

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