5 players who found success after leaving Kerala Blasters

After reaching two finals in the first three seasons, the Kerala Blasters have had a disappointing run in the ISL since.

Numerous managers have parted ways with the Kochi-based outfit after failing to cope with the pressure. The constant shuffles at the helm of the club have clearly affected the players as well, and several players have signed for the Blasters and left without proving their mettle.

However, in the recent past, we have seen a few players donning the Blasters jersey for back-to-back seasons, and slowly integrating themselves into the system at the club. Sahal Abdul Samad, Sandesh Jhingan, Lalruatthara and Prasanth K are a few of the Blasters' personnel who have been around for some time now.

In this article, we take a look at five players who found success after leaving Kerala Blasters.

#5 Jackichand Singh

Jackichand Singh joined the Kerala Blasters from East Bengal in 2017, and scored 2 goals in 17 matches for the club. He was a vital player in the system that season, and used to dart down the wings frequently.

However, the Blasters let go of the player after a single term, and FC Goa were quick to secure his signature. Jackichand played 21 games for Goa in the 2018/19 season, and was a better fit with the Gaurs, scoring 4 goals and assisting as many.

In the recently concluded 2019/20 edition of the ISL, he bettered those numbers with 5 goals and 3 assists from 18 matches. The Manipur-born winger was a constant menace for opposition defences, and played a key role in Sergio Lobera's system.

With Ferran Corominas and Hugo Boumous being the focal points of the attack, Jackichand's role went under the radar, but he did his part to perfection on the flanks.

The 28-year-old played 17 games for the Indian national team until 2018, but then dropped out of contention for the international competitions for a year. He was then part of the 2019 Asian Cup and made a solitary appearance from the bench against U.A.E.

Jackichand has played only a single game for the national team since then, but was called up to the camp for the World Cup Qualifiers against Qatar.

#4 Vinit Rai

Very few people remember Vinit Rai's stint with the Kerala Blasters in 2016. He was signed at the age of 19 and was a regular name on the bench for Steve Coppell's side. Rai managed only 83 minutes in 2 games over the season and was left warming the bench for 11 matches.

He was then loaned out to Minerva Punjab in January 2017, before a permanent move to Delhi Dynamos (Odisha FC) in the ISL.

With Delhi, he played 13 matches in the first season and earned a name for himself on a national level. In the 2018/19 season, he was a regular presence for the club, playing 16 matches during the course of the season.

He also made an appearance off the bench during India's international friendly against China in 2018 and was part of the squad for the AFC Asian Cup 2019. Rai has featured in all of Igor Stimac's squads since his appointment in 2019.

The 22-year-old has played 46 ISL matches and 7 international games, and recently signed a contract extension with Odisha FC that will keep him with the club till 2023.

#3 Farukh Choudhary

Farukh Choudhary is yet another young player who had a very short stint with the Kerala Blasters. The forward, who was playing for Lonestar Kashmir, was signed by the Blasters before the 2016 season of the ISL.

Under Steve Coppell, he managed 2 games, against ATK and Pune City. In the 100 minutes he played in them, he failed to register anything notable, and subsequently found himself on the bench for 11 games.

After a loan to Mumbai FC for the remainder of the I-League season, Choudhary joined Jamshedpur FC for the next edition of the ISL. Despite scoring only 2 goals in his first two seasons, the Red Miners kept faith in him, and he delivered in this season of the league.

Choudhary assisted 5 goals and scored 1 this season before he hit a dismal patch towards the end of the season, but still, the 23-year-old proved to be a solid utility player for Antonio Iriondo.

He is close to a permanent spot in the national team and has played 5 matches under Stimac.

#2 Duckens Nazon

Duckens Nazon signed for the Kerala Blasters in the 2016 season and played 13 matches, scoring 2 goals. After parting ways with the Blasters, he joined English club Wolverhampton Wanderers and played 5 games for the U23 side.

Nazon was then loaned to League One club Coventry City and League Two side Oldham Athletic in the following seasons. The striker has plied his trade in the first-tiers of Belgium and Scotland since.

The 26-year-old is a regular with the Haiti national team and has scored 19 goals from 39 games. Though he did not enjoy a spectacular time in India, Nazon's move to Wolves was one of the best for an outgoing Blasters foreigner.

#1 Rahul Bheke

Rahul Bheke was part of the Kerala Blasters squad in 2015 and played 12 games at the right-back position. With the club finishing at the bottom of the table, it was not surprising to see the defender leave before the next term.

Bheke played the next season of the league with Pune City, on loan from East Bengal. When Bengaluru FC grabbed a spot in the ISL before the 2017/18 season, the fullback was one of the first names to sign for the club.

The 29-year-old made himself a vital cog in Albert Roca's machine, and he soon turned into one of the best defenders in the country.

Rahul Bheke has played 55 matches for Bengaluru FC so far. He has also featured 10 times for the national team, and has played in every game under Igor Stimac.

Edited by Sai Krishna