ISL 2022-23: "If you want to beat this kind of team, you have to be perfect" - Kerala Blasters boss Ivan Vukomanovic previews clash against formidable Hyderabad FC
Kerala Blasters will face Hyderabad FC at the Gachibowli Stadium in their seventh 2022-23 Indian Super League match of the season on Saturday (November 19).
Kerala Blasters go into the match against the Nizams on the back of consecutive wins against NorthEast United and FC Goa. They will look to extend their winning streak to three games on Saturday.
Hyderabad, though, are yet to taste defeat in the ISL this season, having won five and drawn one of their six matches so far. They currently sit atop the table with 16 points to their name.
Addressing the media ahead of the match, Kerala Blasters head coach Ivan Vukomanovic explained how the trip to Hyderabad will be different from the clash against Goa:
"Every game in this league is different, every opponent is different. Speaking about the last game, we knew that we will play against the team who is best in the way of possession."
"They like to play that kind of style and we wanted to find the options to play against them, how to close down the key players, how to close down the things that they want to use the most."
"And we thought that kind of approach can bring us victory and points, which actually happened. So, we are very thrilled because of that, especially for fans and for the club itself, because it was the first time in six years that Kerala Blasters managed to beat FC Goa. Everybody was really thrilled about that fact."
The Serbian went on to analyze Hyderabad FC:
"We know that we are facing one of the best teams of the league. That's the team and the club who have been working with consistency in the last... it will be now be the third year in a row that they are working with the same coach, coaching staff and the kind of approach we know them from."
"We played [against Hyderabad] twice in the competition. We won one, we lost one, and then in the finals, we drew and lost in penalties. So, I expect nothing but a tough game, a very physical and tough game with many duels."
"And then, in this league, we showed so many times that anything is possible. So, [on Saturday] it'll be nothing but that. Two teams who want to go for three points, teams who want to fight to stay high up the table because both of us, we have ambitions. So, we have to get ready and be ready for everything."
Kerala Blasters chose to sit back against FC Goa in an attempt to restrict their key players. Asked if a similar approach would work against Hyderabad on Saturday, Vukomanovic replied:
"If you put any team in this league against FC Goa, that team will have difficulties because Goa, it's been years that they are trying to play that style of football."
"Our next opponent is a different team with a different mentality, different character. So, of course, your approach must be different. If the same approach can be profitable against them, we don't know."
"Last year, we played three times against them. Once we played with high pressing all the time, we managed to win. The other game, we had some changes, we didn't have a full squad, we lost that one, even then we played that game with many chances. In the finals, it was different because it was a different game with a different stake in it."
Vukomanovic also stressed the need for the Kerala Blasters to be perfect to earn a win against the Nizams:
"So, we explored many different things against Hyderabad last year. Now, it's different again because we are playing with home-away games. You play in front of fans, it's a completely different atmosphere. Last year, it was awful. Without people, it was like you were in a kind of closed room. Now, it's different."
"We'll see on Saturday, the kind of approach [Kerala Blasters will take], but even when you have an idea of how to play your game, it depends how your opponent will allow you to play that game."
He went on to say:
"It's a tough team, it's a very good team, a strong team. They have started well. If you want to beat this kind of team, you have to be perfect, you must be perfect in any possible detail, your offensive part, how you defend, defensively because they can push you to defend in a low block."
"You can try to play with high pressing. Against this team, anything is possible. So, we'll try to do our best that after the game we have no regrets and then after the game, we'll see."
Responding to a question posed by Sportskeeda, the Kerala Blasters gaffer elucidated how he is preparing his players for the challenge against Hyderabad:
"I always try to be honest and I always try to start from our strengths, from our qualities and the things that we can do better, the things that we can explore on the pitch against that kind of opponent."
"Again, it depends if they will allow you to do that. Then, there is the second part, how you have to defend in certain moments against different opponents."
He also emphasized the need for Kerala Blasters to focus on themselves than being carried away by their opponents:
"And then, even last year and this year, we prefer to talk about ourselves, even in the meetings when we are with players to show the things that we want to do, the things we want to improve and fix rather than being too busy with the opponents."
"Of course, we show certain things, what we have to be aware of, how to close down certain things and with this kind of approach and mentality, with a positive mindset, we can achieve nice things."
"Now, it will be the same. We want to go with the strengths we have, the strong points we have that we can use and try to neutralize their weak points. And again, we'll see. Let the better team win at the end."
Vukomanovic made several changes to the Kerala Blasters line-up in the opening matches this season. Asked if he now feels his team is set, having won two games on the trot, he said:
"I always say that we have one great group of 20-something players, 25-26 players. As a coach, it makes me happy because everybody can play. So, it doesn't matter if one day somebody is missing on the pitch, it doesn't matter what position, we can replace that player with somebody else and he will do the job."
"It was the case last year and that's the way we want to train as well. Whatever happened, whenever it happens, they can jump in and can do the job."
The Kerala Blasters boss added:
"We started our season with one idea and then the competition evolves and there are many different games, there are many different moments that you want to deal with and then, of course, it [prompts us to] make some changes."
"It doesn't mean that some players who started the competition, now not being on the pitch, are out of the team. Of course, we count on everybody. Everybody is here with reason and anything's possible."
"As a coach, it makes me happy that whoever we put [in the team], he'll do the job with 100% and this is actually the strength of our team. We have enough players who can at any time replace anybody."
Rahul KP, who hails from Thrissur, has been in fine form for Kerala Blasters recently. Vukomanovic heaped praise on the youngster for the hunger that he has been displaying this season:
"He [Rahul] is a boy who missed almost the whole season last year. If you recall, last year, he got injured in the first game after 30 minutes. And then, for three months, he was out and we managed to get him back in the semi-finals or something like that, I think one game before the end he started playing."
"As a boy, this season, he's hungry to show something more, he's hungry to succeed, he's hungry to get back on the pitch, on the level that he deserves to be."
The Kerala Blasters boss also expressed his delight at being able to work with a host of talented young players:
"He's a young guy with full potential that he wants to explore. Of course, when you work with these kinds of boys, you want to let them improve, you want to push them over certain limits because you see the potential and qualities they have."
"Especially, when they're playing in front of home fans, they have the extra motivation that you don't even have to motivate them or say certain things because you know they want to do it."
"Speaking about him [Rahul],Sahal [Abdul Samad] or any other local boy who's coming from Kerala, for them, it's a dream comings true. That's why you want to give everything on the pitch."
Vukomanovic went on to say that he is pleased with the camaraderie the players in the Kerala Blasters camp share:
"So, I think that they just fit well with all the other boys, with the new faces in the team. We have a great atmosphere. They fit together, they laugh together, they want to fight together for the team, which is very nice to see."
"And as a coach, it makes me happy, so I'm happy to see them work hard, wanting to improve every day, trying to become better because they want to push themselves to certain levels, to be on top of this league and becoming an important part of the national team as well."
Dimitrios Diamantakos is another player who has recently impressed for Kerala Blasters. Vukomanovic provided his lowdown on the Greek striker:
"I know Dimi, not personally, but as a player for more than five years for sure. I even remember him playing in Greece, in his hometown, at Olympiacos, I also remember him playing in Germany because I follow very closely the European market, especially in certain countries."
"When we had that kind of opportunity to get him at our club, we were convinced we want to have him."
The Serbian explained how joining the squad late made things tricky for Diamantakos at the start of the season:
"Dimi arrived in Dubai almost in the second part of our pre-season. Before that we had that the first part in Dubai, we also had 15 days here in Kochi before that. We knew that the beginning of this league will be a little bit more difficult for him and Adrian [Luna], who arrived a little bit late due to his private situation."
"Then as a coach, as a coaching staff, as a club, you have to be patient. You have to be patient because these boys, they work so hard. They want to get back on the level they want to be."
"And of course, when you change the environment, you change the country, you change the competition, you change the continent, you change the weather, many things that are new, you need some time to to adapt."
The Kerala Blasters head coach added:
"Then, when you get into your comfort zone with your teammates, with your coaching staff and everything, then you start exploring and showing the best quality you have. We knew that it can be the case, not only with Dimi, but also some other boys."
"So far, we are happy to have him [Diamantakos] because the moment we had that opportunity, we said, yeah, absolutely, we would like to have him as a striker because he's a quality player, a great human being, he's bringing something extra to our team, and we're happy to have him."
Vukomanovic then revealed that Bijoy Varghese is unlikely to be available to face Hyderabad due to a knock:
"In the last couple of days, we played this friendly game against one academy, especially for younger players who didn't play a lot. Our player Bijoy just got a kind of a knock in his knee. Nothing's dangerous."
"He has now missed the last two days of training sessions. Today, I think he might be missing as well, so probably he will not be considered for the selection [against Hyderabad]. All the other guys, they are available."
Dimitrios Diamantakos provides his thoughts on ISL and Kerala Blasters
Dimitrios Diamantakos is one of four foreign players Kerala Blasters signed during the transfer window. He had a slow start to his life in India, failing to score in his first four ISL matches, but has since found the back of the net two games in a row.
Joining Vukomanovic for the press conference, the Greek striker opened up on his early days in the country:
"I said that I wanted a little bit of time to know about the Indian league and everything. Now, I think I find myself. I have started to score some goals, but the most important thing is that the team wins."
"Tomorrow [Saturday; ed.], we will focus on what we did, what we trained, how we trained. And, like in the last games, we go into [the match against Hyderabad FC] with our mentality and with the same attitude and I hope we take the three points."
"It's always the same, we look game by game. It's not only about myself, it's about the team."
Diamantakos went on to admit that he did not expect the quality of football in India to be as high as it is:
"I think the level here is so high. I didn't expect that the level here was so much because you hear a lot of things about India, that the level is not so good and so on, but I need to say that the level here is so high."
"They are good players, both Indian and foreign players, also good games, good teams who play strong games, quality games. The level is really high. I didn't expect that."
The 29-year-old also explained the difference between the ISL and leagues in Europe:
"I think the biggest difference is about the reactions and the run of the games here. I think it's a bit slower than Europe and the reactions and everything is a bit faster. But here, I think you have more intensity in the games. And, also with this climate, I think it's a bit more difficult."