Kerala Blasters appoint support staff for Kibu Vicuna
On Saturday, Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters announced that they are bringing on board Tomasz Tchorz as the Assistant Coach, David Ochoa as the Tactical Analyst and Paulius Ragauskas as the Physical Trainer.
Incidentally, Tomasz Tchorz and Paulius Ragauskas are long-time assistants of Kibu Vicuna, and were part of the 2019-20 I-League-winning Mohun Bagan side.
The familiar trio
Tomasz Tchorz holds a UEFA A License and has been an assistant to Kibu Vicuna at multiple football clubs for most of his managerial career.
The Pole started at FK Riteriai in A Lyga in the Lithuanian First Division under Kibu Vicuna. After a short spell, Tchorz moved to Wisla Plock in the Ekstraklasa (Polish First Division). However, following a disappointing season at the Plock-based side in Poland, where the Nafciarze fell into the relegation round, Tchorz followed his compatriot Vicuna to Mohun Bagan in the I-League.
Tchorz had an underwhelming Calcutta Football season, and a mediocre start to the national league season. The Mariners then took a jump in their form and embarked on a winning run to take the title, with at least four more rounds of games left to be played.
Paulius Ragauskas will complete the trio at Kerala Blasters. Just like Tchorz, Ragauskas spent most of his physical training career in football with Kibu Vicuna.
Ragauskas started as a physical trainer with A Lyga side (Lithuanian first division) FK Jonava Lietava. There Ragauskas met Kibu Vicuna in his stint at Trakai, and the duo worked for the first time in tandem. Ragauskas then followed his compatriots Tomasz Tchorz and Kibu Vicuna to Mohun Bagan, where the former was credited for keeping the squad match fit and agile throughout the season.
Ragauskas' physical training resulted in the Mariners pushing for every single minute in every game, exhibiting impressive physical fitness. The side were unhindered by injuries during the season, which was one of the primary reasons for their dominance in the recently concluded I-League.
David Ocha will work as the tactical analyst in Vicuna's setup, with key responsibilities including mapping opponents, and switching tactics and formations according to in-match scenarios.
With the trio of Ragauskas, Tchorz and Vicuna in their roster, Kerala Blasters are expected to do well in the next season of the Indian Super League. Vicuna's performance with Mohun Bagan is a testament to his adaptability and ability to deliver the maximum with minimum resources. Fans have to be patient and back the team to experience success.