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Kerala Blasters and Chennaiyin FC renew rivalries in the Southern Derby of Indian Super League (ISL) at the JLN Stadium in Kochi on Saturday.
Kerala Blasters will be in search of a return to winning ways after two consecutive losses against Jamshedpur FC and FC Goa. However, the team have faced a major setback with head coach Eelco Schattorie suspended for two matches following misconduct during the ATK clash.
On the team’s failure to notch up consistent results, Blasters assistant coach Ishfaq Ahmed said,
"I think it’s a process when you change completely; a new coach, philosophy. The coach believes in total football. We usually look at the results. I think the team has been playing some fantastic football. It’s not easy to play FC Goa in their home with their first XI, foreign players available and having 60% ball possession. We had close moments. We tend to do certain mistakes and concede goals. I think we need to give time to this team and coaching staff is working really hard on that and hopefully in the future we will see those mistakes are not repeated."
The former Kerala Blasters midfielder had a word on the top three teams in the title race - ATK, Bengaluru FC and FC Goa. He felt the teams have been playing ordinary football and quoted on the luxury ATK enjoys with ten foreign players signed.
"Bengaluru and Goa are the only two teams who kept their 80% of the squad and coaches. So they know the system and everything. When you talk about the results, all the (top) three teams have played pretty ordinary football. Out of these two teams Kolkata have a good recruitment. They had nearly 10 foreigners with them. Obviously when you have that kind of financial backing, you can have the luxury of 10 foreigners and have more Indian players."
The Kochi-outfit has been missing the servies of winger KP Rahul since early December. Eelco Schattorie had revealed before the previous fixture that the local lad is close to full recovery. Updating on the same, Ishfaq said,
"Most of the players are on the verge of full fitness. I think only by tomorrow we will take a call on KP Rahul’s fitness."
Kerala Blasters have had their playoff hopes almost shut down by the two recent defeats. However, the man-in-charge against Chennaiyin, remained positive citing the mathematical possibility still open before them.
"Mathematically anybody can reach the playoffs. In this league, Odisha won four matches in a row. Its just that momentum. We were also way behind but when we won two matches in a row everyone were expecting us to grab that (fourth) spot."
Ishfaq Ahmed signed off with a word of praise for the opposition manager Owen Coyle, who has turned the fortunes of the club since taking over midway through the season.
