Kerala Blasters’ Pritam Kotal, Vibin Mohanan, and assistant coach Frank Dauwen look longingly on the ISL Trophy in Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru on Wednesday. The Blasters have been runner-up thrice.
| Photograph Credit score: PTI
Six months after their controversial walkout within the playoffs, Kerala Blasters meets Bengaluru FC once more within the Indian Tremendous League, this time within the season-opener on the Nehru Stadium right here on Thursday.
Blasters, who suffered a heavy high quality whereas the top coach Ivan Vukomanovic took a 10-match suspension which isn’t but over, have pushed away all of the bitterness from their thoughts.
“I believe what occurred final yr is over, now we’re into the brand new season and new probabilities,” mentioned Frank Dauwen, the Blasters’ assistant coach, right here on Wednesday.
Life has not been excellent for Blasters in the previous couple of months. The crew misplaced to Gokulam Kerala within the Durand Cup the place it didn’t make the quarterfinals and is now with out its gifted Sahal Abdul Samad and goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill who’ve joined different golf equipment. The crew’s ahead Ishan Pandita can also be on the injured listing.
How is the Blasters crew when in comparison with final yr? “Troublesome to say as a result of now we have a variety of new younger gamers, our international gamers are additionally new so now we have to see. However the crew is ready,” mentioned Dauwen.
A packed home is anticipated right here on Thursday and the Blasters will hope to achieve new vitality from that.
In the meantime, final yr’s runner-up Bengaluru which has misplaced just a few gamers, together with the seasoned Sunil Chhetri, to the Indian crew now taking part in the Asiad in in China, is trying on the positives from the scenario.
“We absolutely respect Sunil’s choice to play for the nationwide crew. Tomorrow is a chance for whoever begins, to do nicely,” mentioned Simon Grayson, the Bengaluru head coach.