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The Kerala Blasters, ever since its inception in Indian football back in 2014, are known to be one of the most supported football teams in India. They have created a wave across the country since then and even their official fan group -- 'Manjappada' -- won fan club of the year at Indian Sports Honours. As the team gears up for the fifth edition of Indian Super League (ISL), the Blasters' fans are more excited than ever and are all set to host LaLiga team Girona FC and A-League side Melbourne City FC at Toyota Yaris LaLiga World club tournament which is set to begin on July 24, at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi.
Kerala Blasters FC, headed by former England National Team goalkeeper David James, completed their preseason training session at TranStadia, Ahmedabad and arrived in Kochi ready to confront Melbourne City on 24th in order to open their campaign in the preseason tournament. After finishing sixth in the last edition of ISL, the team is looking for nothing less than becoming Champions -- a feat which they have narrowly missed out two times in the final in the last four seasons. The Toyota Yaris LaLiga World will be the ideal preparation for the yellows before the start of the fifth edition of ISL, which is said to begin from September.
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Here, we are taking a gander at five players who will make their debut for Kerala Blasters FC and could play a pivotal role in determining their fate in this tournament as well as in forthcoming ISL season.
#5 Abdul Hakku
The 23-year old Kerala based defender is a promising asset who can bolster the already strong Blasters back line which comprises of star defenders like Sandesh Jhingan and Anas Edathodika.
He started his career with Sports Academy Tirur before moving to Pune based DSK Shivajians where he plied his trade for their youth team and the senior team as well. A solid performance in the second division I-League for Fateh Hyderabad FC caught the attention of ISL team Northeast United. The Highlanders brought him on board for the ISL 2017/18 season.
He managed to win the emerging player award in the very first game he played for the Highlanders. Though he started off well in the ISL, he couldn't carry the momentum along the entire season and barely managed four appearances for the Northeast United.
Being a native Keralite, Kerala Blasters' base will be an excellent opportunity for Abdul to improve himself as a player and to get a shot for the senior national team.
#4 Cyril Kali
The experienced French defender was the first foreigner announced officially by the two-times ISL finalists ahead of the forthcoming season. The 34-year-old has already plied his trade in three different countries before moving to India.
After beginning his career with native club AJ Auxerre, he plied his trade for LOSC Lille B before moving to Danish team Lillestrom SK. Post this, Cyril Kali switched his career to Greece, where he had a spell of more than a decade for various clubs and last played for Apollon Pontou in the Greek top division.
He becomes the second French national to sign for the Kochi-based franchise after Cedric Hengbart -- who played two seasons for the team.
#3 Slavisa Stojanovic
After signing a series of defenders, the Blasters finally added some vigour to the attacking front with the signing of Serbian forward Slavisa Stojanovic. The versatile player can be played as a centre-forward or on the right wing.
The 29-year-old comes with a vast experience which includes 29 goals in 156 matches in the Serbian SuperLiga. He donned colours of Isreali outfits Hapoel Kfar Saba and H. Petah Tikva as well.
Born in Smederevo (then republic of Yugoslavia), Slavisa began his professional career with the local club FK Smederevo. He then went on to represent Serbian clubs FK Jagodina (2012/13), FK Borac Cacak (2014/15), Radnik Surdulica (2015/16) before switching to Israel to play for Hapoel Kfar Saba (2016/17) and then on loan for Hapoel Petah Tikva (2017).
With this signing, the Blasters aims to hone their attacking third which cost them the grip of the ISL last season. The Serbian has immense potential and his CV reflects that he has the potential to sparkle in the Indian subcontinent.
#2 Anas Edathodika
Roping in star defender and current Indian International Anas Edathodika is considered being the signing of the season by Kerala Blasters. He will join National team partner Sandesh Jhingan and Lalruathara in the back-line, which already got boosted with the signings of Abdul Hakku and Cyril Kali.
The 31-year-old had a tremendous career with Mumbai FC where he won more than a hundred caps between 2007 and 2011 in the I-League. He then moved to Pune outfit Pune FC, and his performance was clinical here as well, with many touting him to be one of the best defenders in the country. A total of 106 appearances were made by the Kerala native for the club between 2011 to 2015 before the club got dissolved.
Anas Ethathodika then shifted to Delhi Dynamos in the ISL and even Roberto Carlos (who was the boss then) gave him a tag of best defender in the country during his spell with the Delhi based franchise.
Thereafter, he represented Mohun Bagan 17 times in the I-league before moving to ISL again for the Jamshedpur FC. Despite such brilliant performances, Anas had to wait till 2017, at the age of 29, to get a call from the senior National team. As of now, he donned the national colours thirteen times. Despite missing many matches during his last stint with Jamshedpur FC due to injury, he is still regarded as one of the best defenders in the country.
With this signing, David James gave us the room for speculation of what strategy he could possibly follow with Kerala Blasters this season.
#1 Matej Poplatnik
The Slovenian forward adds vital fuel to the Blasters' attacking line as that's where they were lacking in the last season. The 26-year-old enjoyed as many as 46 goals in 68 appearances for Slovenian top-tier club Triglav Kranj before signing a contract with the Kochi-based franchise.
Matej Poplatnik becomes the second Slovenian to play in India after Rene Mihelich, who had a stint with champions Chennaiyin FC last season. The Slovenian 'Goal Machine' who can fare as an absolute menace, boasts of a stunning goal to game ratio, having scored 75 goals in 158 appearances in the top tier of Slovenia and Bulgaria combined.
In last season alone, he scored a massive 16 goals in the Slovenian top division to become the third highest scorer of the season.
As per some reports, the pacy attacker has signed a long-term contract which would keep him with the Blasters till 2021. However, no official confirmation regarding the same is out yet. Nevertheless, it is strongly believed that he will be a permanent solution to the attacking woes of Kerala Blasters FC, that's what their fans will be hoping for as well.
