"I'm very proud of the boys" - Ivan Vukomanovic expresses delight as Kerala Blasters return to ISL 2022-23 action with a win over Jamshedpur FC

Kerala Blasters earned a 1-0 win over Jamshedpur FC in a 2022-23 Indian Super League (ISL) fixture at the JRD Tata Sports Complex Stadium on Sunday, December 4.

The Blasters returned to ISL action following a two-week break and picked up right from where they left off.

A first-half goal from Dimitrios Diamantakos, who has now scored in four consecutive matches, saw the visitors claim all three points.

Speaking after the game, Kerala Blasters coach Ivan Vukomanovic admitted that he knew it would be a tough outing. He told a press conference:

"We knew before the game and before we arrived here that it would be a very tough game for us. When you play against a team that is coming on the back of four defeats in a row, it doesn't mean a lot."

Vukomanovic stated that Kerala Blasters didn't take Jamshedpur FC lightly, explaining:

"Maybe their confidence is boosted in a negative way, but you can easily fall into a trap because these teams, when they come in this situation they are the most dangerous.

"If we thought in this situation, after three victories in a row, it would be an easy game, it is wrong. We were hammering on these things in the past couple of things, saying that we cannot and we must not think that we're the best, we're better whatsoever."

The Serbian boss added:

"So, we need to approach this kind of game with seriousness. We need to approach this kind of game with full power and concentration because we know from last season that Jamshedpur is not easy to handle, it is not easy to manage these games against them.

"I think this year as well, there is more power, especially up front, and you have to deal with all these long balls, long throw-ins, physical game, physical duels. All those things are very dangerous to manage against Jamshedpur."

The Kerala Blasters head coach went on to express his delight at his claiming the three points, saying:

"Then we knew there was a chance to make something out of set-pieces like we scored. Today, we also wanted to have a little bit of a different approach with our playing style, which was keeping the ball on the ground, passing the ball around, having the possession, trying to create chances.

"I was glad as a coach to see these things happening, but in the end, we have to be very happy with the three points. What we achieved today was not easy again. I'm very proud of the boys and very happy for the fans as we continue our winning streak."

Jamshedpur FC coach Aidy Boothroyd felt his side deserved a penalty for a foul on Ishan Pandita. Here is what Vukomanovic had to say about the incident:

"So far, I haven't seen the videos. From where we were sitting, we couldn't see the lines and it was quite difficult to see. We saw that it was close to [the penalty box], but we couldn't see it from the bench.

"I cannot say with 100 percent conviction if it was inside or outside [the box] because, from the bench where we sit behind, even in the front, you don't see the lines of the box on that side. It was difficult for me to see."

Vukomanovic was also asked about dealing with Jamshedpur FC's threat from set-pieces. The Kerala Blasters gaffer replied:

"Absolutely because set-pieces are one of the most powerful things of Jamshedpur. Wherever you are, you're under pressure on those long throw-ins or corner kicks. There is a light chance that you concede a goal.

"They had a couple of headers in those situations. We were lucky and happy that we didn't concede. They are a very powerful team, that's obvious. If you allow them to come into your box and put you under pressure in that playing style, you're done, you have no chance against this team."

He added:

"So, we wanted to move them and push them further away from our goal to keep that possession and organize things like we wanted to play. In the end, of course, we're happy with the three points."

Vukomanovic also elucidated how Kerala Blasters tweaked their playing style against Jamshedpur FC, explaining:

"It was our tactic for today. In the last couple of games, we played a little bit more defensive, not allowing our opponents to come between our lines. Today, we wanted to change that. We had this two-week break since our last game in Hyderabad, where we played more defensively.

"Today, we wanted this approach, to have more of the ball in our possession, to move around and try to create more chances from open spaces. This is what we were working on in the last five-six days. That's the style we wanted to explore today."

He stressed how he likes to change his team's playing style based on the opponents they face. Vukomanovic said:

"With us, it always changes depending on our opponents. You cannot play the same when you play against Jamshedpur or FC Goa or something like that. For us today, that was the case."

Vukomanovic went on to discuss what he expects from Kerala Blasters this season, stating:

"I think that whenever the ISL campaign starts, every team wants to be among the top. Seeing our last season, the achievement [of reaching] the final, of course, we're now working with consistency and we want our team to compete and be in the top six and in the playoffs.

"In the playoffs, we saw last year, where nobody expected us to be in the final, you can reach nice things. This year, we went through some changes in our team. We, as a club, as a team, we have one structure in which we just want this piece of the puzzle to fit into one big picture."

He continued:

"We have many youngsters coming into the team. Even last year, we were the youngest team in the league. This year, we need to continue with our consistency, with our work, how we want to achieve certain things."

The Serbian gaffer, though, is wary of the unpredictable nature of the ISL, saying:

"The boys have a great character to be in the playoffs and later on we'll see. We hope for that because it is not easy. Anybody can beat anybody in this league.

"It doesn't matter now that Jamshedpur are on a negative run, they're a good team. It can just turn in no time. It happened to us. We had three defeats in a row, now we have four victories in a row."

Vukomanovic went on to explain how retaining the coaching staff this season will stand Kerala Blasters in good stead moving forward. He averred:

"As a coach, I must say that the most important thing is if you have consistency with the coach and the coaching staff because if you constantly change [the coach], your group, your team, your fans, everybody cannot get the time to get used to it.

"The players cannot get used to you, they will never get the time to get used to your playing style, coaching approach, whatever it is. Then, if you constantly keep changing, it means that every time, whatever you do, you reset and go back to zero."

However, he admitted that changes are inevitable in the world of football and said:

"And then, again, you start building up. The moment you change you go back to zero, you must have consistency. Every year, there are changes. Players, they come, they go. It's inevitable in world football.

"Sometimes there are offers where the players say 'I have a better offer, I get more money'. As a club, we will never stop our players if they have that kind of [desire to] change. We lost, after last season, some players, who are playing still in the ISL on a good level."

He added:

"But we accept that as a fact that they go for better conditions, they go for better ideas. Then again, we have to rebuild. For us, working now with consistency, it gives us, as the technical staff, confidence."

Vukomanovic continued:

"We are used to the boys, the boys, they're used to us. We are used to our environment, we are used to our city, we are used to our fans, and they are used to us. When you have this kind of complete interaction, there are results. This is how it goes in football."

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Kerala Blasters boss Vukomanovic provides his thoughts on introducing relegation in the ISL

Vukomanovic was asked about his thoughts on the possibility of introducing relegation to the ISL. He replied:

"If you know that you cannot be relegated, especially in the second part of the season last year... last year there were a couple of teams that knew that they cannot compete anymore for the playoffs, the top four, and they just started playing casually, relax, thinking 'Okay, let's go for vacation, let's finish, and go home'."

The Kerala Blasters boss appeared to be in favor of introducing relegation, saying:

"It means if you have relegation then you have to fight till the last moment, you have to fight for your life. But, there are also some leagues worldwide, like in the United States, we can also mention some other countries, there is no relegation there either.

"But if you have a good club structure, if you have good ideas, consistency, and you have good communication between your management, ownership, and the coaching staff, and then you're building up one process, you're building up on the project, and then on the longer term, which means two, three or four years, you create a club that will always compete at the top of the league and always be, in three-four years, in the playoffs."

He continued by saying:

"And then, even later on, if you're not there anymore, there is a legacy as a club on a healthy structure, which gives you the opportunity and hope that you can always be at the top and be recognized as a top club."

Vukomanovic went on to suggest that the ISL may need to add more teams to introduce relegation. He explained:

"I think this season and the next there is no relegation, but maybe, if it changes a little bit, maybe the league has to be a little bit larger with more teams... it is good that this year the league is longer, which gives the technical staff, players, and everybody time to prepare better, to organize the things better because when you are on the short term, there are many things like you get injured, you're out, for you the season is done."

He concluded by saying:

"So, in the longer term, it is better for everybody to work on consistency, the whole team and the club will be better. I hope that it will be the case in the next period here because I like being here.

"It's a very nice league, very tough, unpredictable, anybody can beat anybody, we've seen that. So let's go for the best."

Kerala Blasters will next face Bengaluru FC at home on Sunday, December 11.