Football

Ivan Vukomanovic's departure from Kerala Blasters left a void in the hearts of the club's passionate fans. The Serbian coach had forged an unbreakable bond with the supporters during his three seasons at the helm, guiding the team to three ISL playoffs appearances.Mikael Stahre, the new head coach, faces the daunting task of filling Vukomanovic's shoes. The Swede is eager to win over the fans and has promised an exciting brand of football. "We'll play good and energetic football, score a lot of goals, and win," Stahre declared at the Nehru Stadium ahead of Blasters' ISL season opener against Punjab FC.Stahre understands the importance of fan support and is determined to create a positive atmosphere at the Nehru Stadium. "I think that's what football fans want in general. They have high expectations, want players to score a lot of goals, see positive football, energetic players, and they also want to see fighters out there. That's my message to the fans... we want to please them."The Blasters' fans have been the team's backbone, consistently filling the Nehru Stadium to capacity. Their unwavering support has played a crucial role in the team's success. However, the fans are also hungry for silverware. With Blasters having come tantalizingly close to the ISL Cup by reaching the final thrice and losing twice in the tiebreaker, the fans are desperate to lift the trophy.While they will expect the inspirational Adrian Luna to continue his magical touch, they will also be eagerly looking at new stars like Moroccan Noah Sadaoui, who won the Golden Boot at the recent Durand Cup, and Spaniard Jesus Jimenez to score goals aplenty.Stahre is confident that he can deliver the success that the Blasters' fans crave. "We want to win trophies. We want to play in Asia. We want to make the fans proud," he said.The new season promises to be an exciting one for Kerala Blasters. With a new coach, new players, and a hungry fan base, the team has all the ingredients for success.

Kerala Blasters Bolster Coaching Staff with European ExpertiseKOCHI: Kerala Blasters, the Indian Super League (ISL) club, has strengthened its coaching team with the addition of two European professionals: Bjorn Wesstrom and Frederico Pereira Morais. Wesstrom, a Swede, will serve as the assistant coach, while Morais, a Portuguese, will be the assistant coach for set-pieces.Wesstrom brings a wealth of experience to the Blasters, having previously served as director of football at Danish club Odense Boldklub. He is known for his tactical acumen and ability to develop young players. Morais, on the other hand, has a reputation for his innovative approach to training, analysis, and set-piece execution. He was previously an assistant coach at London's Leyton Orient.The appointments of Wesstrom and Morais are part of a wider overhaul of the Blasters' coaching staff under new head coach Mikael Stahre. Stahre, also a Swede, has a proven track record of success in the ISL, having led Chennaiyin FC to the title in 2017-18."I have known Bjorn for a long time and worked with him in various roles, so I am delighted to have the opportunity to work alongside him again," said Stahre. "Bjorn is a highly experienced football professional who will positively complement the current staff while bringing enthusiasm and depth to the coaching team.""Frederico is very modern in his approach to training, analysis, and set pieces, which is a huge strength," added Stahre.Wesstrom and Morais will join assistant coach T.G. Purushothaman and goalkeeping coach Slaven Provegcki in the Blasters' backroom for the upcoming season. The club is hoping that the new coaching team will help them improve on their disappointing performance in the previous ISL season, where they finished ninth in the standings.