Kerala Blasters part company with David James

The Englishman endured a topsy-turvy time with the southern outfit, with the ongoing season being a particularly bad one.

Following their 6-1 loss at the hands of Mumbai City FC, Indian Super League outfit Kerala Blasters have ended their association with the club's head coach David James by mutual consent, the club confirmed in a statement earlier today. The Blasters are on an 11-match winless streak and James had been at the receiving end of a lot of criticism from the fans.

 

 

 

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Kerala Blasters started this season on a positive note by defeating arch-rivals ATK at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, but have since then failed to register a victory. With their defeat against Mumbai City, Kerala's chances of qualifying for the playoffs have become bleak.

In ISL 4, James replaced Rene Meulensteen midway through the season and helped steady the sinking ship. Even though the club failed to reach the playoffs that year, the Englishman helped the side improve their performances and aided their qualification for the Super Cup.

However, it has not been the case this season with the team failing to accumulate points. The side are currently eighth in the points table with just nine points from 12 games so far. 

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David James was Kerala Blasters' marquee signing-cum-coach in the first season and played a pivotal role in helping the Kochi-based outfit reach the final, where they lost to ATK.

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In a statement the club's CEO Varun Tripuraneni said, "The club would like to thank David for his efforts towards the team and wishes him all the very best in his career."

Meanwhile, James too wished the club the very best in the future. He said, "I'd like to thank the management, players and all staff for their support during my stint with the club. I wish them the very best for the future. The fans here have been amazing and I'd like to thank them too for a memorable experience."