"We want to stay among the best" - Kerala Blasters boss Ivan Vukomanovic relieved after ISL 2022-23 win against Odisha FC

Kerala Blasters earned a 1-0 victory over Odisha FC in their 11th match of the 2022-23 Indian Super League (ISL) season at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Monday (December 26).

Things did not go according to plan for Kerala Blasters in the first half as Odisha FC largely pushed them back into their own half. However, the hosts upped the ante and returned to their normal selves in the second half.

The Yellow Army, though, seemed to do everything but find the back of the net, with Marko Leskovic particularly missing a golden chance. However, Kerala Blasters eventually reaped the rewards for their efforts when Sandeep Singh grabbed the winner with just four minutes remaining in normal time.

Speaking after the game, Kerala Blasters boss Ivan Vukomanovic explained how he knew the match would be one of the most important of the season. He said:

"Not only in the half time, but in the last days, in the last period, we are in a one part of the year, where actually most of the population worldwide, we are in a comfort zone period, casual, you know, Christmas, end of the year.

"And when you are in professional sports, it happens worldwide that when teams take a game easy, thinking 'Yes, okay end of the year, we're casual, no problem', you lose games."

He added:

"So we knew that this game against Odisha FC will be one of our most important games this season, and one of the most difficult, not only because [it's this] part of the year, but also because Odisha FC are a very good team, physically a very tough team, good in pressing."

Vukomanovic admitted that his Kerala Blasters team was outplayed in the first half, but pointed out how they came out on top in the final quarter of the game. He explained:

"And I think that we had that fight against them till the middle of the second half, where actually we physically got more on top of the situation and then started creating more chances.

"We knew that the first half will be very tough, we lost so many second balls, we were not that sharp. We were not casual by the way, but we lost many duels, we lost many second balls."

The Serbian tactician added:

"And there aren't many football games worldwide where... actually tactically, you will see a few things and very often you will see fighting spirit, mentality, character, second balls, duels.

"Last year, for example, it was the case against some other team, but this year, that's the case against Odisha FC. It was the same situation in Bhubaneswar when we lost the game actually in the second half."

The Kerala Blasters head coach then revealed what he told his players during the half-time break. He elucidated:

"And today with our team talk at half-time, we were more busy about how we have to act on a certain situation, how to enter, how to fight, how to collect those balls, and then from those situations how to explore space, and go up front and create chances."

Vukomanovic also insisted that substitutes Bryce Miranda, Apostolos Giannou, and Nihal Sudeesh helped Kerala Blasters turn things around in the second half. He said:

"So then that changed the rhythm of the game a little bit in the second half. Of course, our substitutes, the players from the bench, fresh legs, they brought something extra in, and I think that made a difference.

"We had a couple of chances, I think, with all due respect, more clear chances than our opponents in the second half. We knew before the game that it will go only about one goal, it will be a tough game."

He went on to express his delight at claiming the three points against Odisha FC as Kerala Blasters are now well-placed to secure a playoff spot. He said:

"So actually, in the end, we are very happy and pleased with three three points because this is the most difficult part of the season - December and the first half of January, where many teams in ISL drop points, lose games, lose the grip of the competition.

"And actually, we want to stay among the best. We want to stay on top, we want to stay there, we want to be in the playoffs. And we knew that today it can be ugly because football is not only about what we call champagne football, or playing a beautiful football."

He continued:

"It's about fighting, showing character, and that was the case tonight. I'm very happy the way the boys responded in the second half, creating chances, of course, scoring that one goal, and that made the difference."

Asked what prompted him to boldly replace Sahal Abdul Samad and Rahul KP with Sudeesh and Miranda, Vukomanovic replied:

"First of all, today, it was really hot and humid, difficult to play. And then, we saw in the second half that our opponents were going a little bit down, with the pace, with the freshness and everything, and then, we decided to put in some fresh legs, quick players with pace, who can destroy defensive lines by running in, getting the ball in spaces, creating chances and scoring goals. That was our decision."

The Serbian also revealed that Rahul being on a yellow card forced him to take the Indian winger off in the second half. He stated:

"Then, in the first half, when we got these yellow cards, being a little bit nervous, we also wanted to control this thing in the second half, so we decided to take Rahul off because of the yellow card, but they were all good today.

"It was just kind of a coaching choice. Changing one player to play this game, maybe the other game, then we'll change again. It's just a coaching choice. These young players, we follow them throughout the process."

He added:

"They were in pre-season with us, they are training with us, we see them everyday in training. Of course, there is a time you want to give them this feeling of the stadium, to feel the fans, and this is very important for their further development and their careers for the next years."

Vukomanovic has often maintained that Kerala Blasters' primary target is to secure a playoff spot. However, the Yellow Army now sit third in the table, just five points behind table-toppers Mumbai City FC.

The Serb, though, does not think the Kerala Blasters are a genuine title contender yet. He said:

"Many things [separate Kerala Blasters from being a title contender]. It's kind of consistency and possibility of, let's say, being more consistent and showing more experience in games. It means that it is not only about players' quality, technical side, it's how you will manage these situations when it comes closer to the end, going into the playoffs, playing important games because, as a club, we have that vision that every year we have some new players, we have some new young players."

Vukomanovic then pointed out how Kerala Blasters cannot compete with Mumbai City and ATK Mohun Bagan financially. He said:

"Many of them, they are having the first experience of playing in front of fans and playing in the ISL. Sometimes when you face teams like Mumbai City, ATK Mohun Bagan or whoever, these are the teams that can operate on a bigger budget, they can go around and buy anybody they want, we're not like that.

"We're a team with one vision. Even last year, if we speak about those details, we saw in the final Hyderabad versus Kerala Blasters, nobody expected that. When you work on the longer term with consistency and the right process and vision, you can hope to be there."

He added:

"Even last year, in this period, we were at the top of the table. The only point now is that the teams at the bottom don't collect points and it creates the different. Anyway, I think it's not done. We've to be really careful not to start being casual, not thinking we're the best. We're now where we are now, in the third spot.

"We have to keep collecting points because now in the next couple of games, it'll be really, really important to collect the points, to win games, to stay in the positive flow, and that will give us hope to again be among the best and get into the playoffs. And, in the playoffs like last year, where nobody expected, anything is possible. So, we'll see."

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Ivan Vukomanovic confirms Puitea will leave Kerala Blasters

Lalthathanga Khawlhring (Puitea) was once again left out of Kerala Blasters' matchday squad. The midfielder has his contract with the club expiring at the end of the season and there have been claims that he has agreed to join another club in the summer.

Vukomanovic confirmed that Puitea will leave Kerala Blasters at the end of the season. Asked if that was the reason for the Mizoram midifelder's omission from the squad, he replied:

"Yes. You know how it goes in football, there are some decisions where the players, when they think about future in another way. This is how it goes. I'm really sorry about it, but this is how it goes in football.

"As a club, you have to take decisions and you go forward. In professional football, you can see that worldwide. Players, they come, they go. Coaches, they come, they go. It's part of the process."

He added:

"He was one of the most important players last season. He did great. Most probably he has some options now in the transfer period. So, I really wish him all the best. He's a great guy."

Kerala Blasters will face Jamshedpur FC at home in their next ISL match on January 3.