ISL: Under-pressure Blasters desperate for a turnaround

Disappointed fans threaten to boycott Blasters matches after its eight-game winless run in the Indian Super League.

Jamshedpur FC, fourth on the points table, has almost double the number of points than the Blasters.

These are testing times for Kerala Blasters. The team is on an eight-game winless run, its worst in the Indian Super League, and now there is a worrying feeling that the Blasters’ fans are running out of patience.

Unhappy with the poor run, a section of the fans have threatened to boycott the Blasters’ matches at a time when the support is needed the most. The Blasters takes on a confident Jamshedpur FC, which is on the fourth rung with almost double the number of points than the home side, at the Nehru Stadium here on Tuesday evening.

Despite the uneasy situation, David James said he understood how the fans felt.

“As head coach, I want to win every game of football, I want the fans to be entertained at the same time and I want a full house of people come to watch the Blasters play,” said the former England World Cupper.

“After the opening game against ATK, the results did not go our way. All we can do is give our 100 per cent.”

James hoped that Tuesday’s match would put his team back on track.
“The team that we will be putting out tomorrow will hopefully be enough to win the game and get us back on the winning race. There were a lot of positives from the goalless draw against Chennaiyin, especially from the defensive point of view,” he said.

Kerala Blasters supporters have voiced their frustration over the team's form. - H. Vibu

 

“I don’t think we were anywhere as nervy in the last 10 to 15 minutes which I think has been attributed to some of our performances prior to that. In fact, we were on the front foot in the last 15 minutes against Chennaiyin. There is a lot of confidence gained from that.”

There had been some injury worries and while Serbian midfielder Nikola Krcmarevic will not be available, the good news is that Slavisa Stojanovic and Courage Pekuson have resumed training.

Like Blasters (seventh on the points table with eight points), Jamshedpur is also coming here after a goalless draw, against NorthEast United.

“I think Kerala is capable of playing very well. It did not deserve to draw its matches. It has a good team and a good coach. It is playing in front of its supporters. But we are ready to play,” said its head coach Cesar Ferrando.