ISL 2018/19: Manjappada boycott, Cyberbullying and more - 5 things Kerala Blasters got wrong this season

#5 (Sym)pathetic player retention

Pekuson

was largely a bit-part player this term

The Kerala Blasters retained three foreign players from the previous season for the fifth edition of the ISL.

All of Nemanja Lakic-Pesic, Courage Pekuson and Keziron Kizito were handed another year with the Kochi-based franchise as they aimed at making it to the playoffs.

However, their retention policy backfired tremendously as these three foreign recruits flattered to deceive for the majority of the season.

Lakic-Pesic’s decline was evident from the start with the defender severely lacking in pace and even struggling at playing out from the back, something he has done with good effect in the past.

On the other hand, Pekuson and Kizito were largely bit-part players under David James and it was quite baffling to see them being retained and not being used frequently.

Even when they were called upon in the first half of the season, both players looked rusty and did nothing whatsoever to stake their claim in the playing eleven.

Nelo Vingada’s appointment proved to be a shot in the arm for the duo, but their performances haven’t been at the level of some of the other foreign players retained by teams in the division and it again raises questions on the club’s recruitment as well as retention policy.

While Bengaluru FC and FC Goa, the teams who contested the finals, retained the likes of Miku and Coro, the Blasters parted ways with Dimitar Berbatov on a sour note and let go of their top-scorer from the previous season in the form of Iain Hume.

Another player who was neglected by the Blasters, Jackichand Singh, also found solace under Sergio Lobera at FC Goa in the fifth edition of the tournament and emerged as one of the star Indian performers of the season.