Kerala Blasters rope in ex-England coach Peter Taylor as manager

Kochi, May 8 (IANS) Indian Super League (ISL) side Kerala Blasters have roped in former England player and coach Peter Taylor as their manager for the next edition of the tournament, the club said in a statement on Friday.

Kerala Blasters finished runners-up behind Atletico de Kolkata in the inaugural edition of the tournament last year. Peter will work with the team's assistant coach Trevor Morgan. Taylor had managed the England Under-20 team in 2013, and coached the England Under-21 team twice.

He had also managed the senior England national team for a match whilst managing Leicester. His coaching career has seen him manage several English clubs.

Taylor sounded optimistic about his new job and said he would strive to enrich the "strong legacy" of the state of Kerala in Indian football.

"ISL inaugural season was a huge success and I'm sure it will get better and better. The league had laid strong foundation in its first season to nurture Indian football," Taylor said in the release.

"I'm personally impressed with the support that Kerala Blasters have received in the inaugural edition. I am looking forward to working with the team and share the passion for football with the fans," he added.