"Not a lot of them in India" - Ivan Vukomanovic picks Vibin Mohanan as a positive on another underwhelming night for Kerala Blasters
Kerala Blasters lost 1-0 to Hyderabad FC in their final ISL 2022-23 league-stage match at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi on Sunday (February 26).
A first-half goal from Borja Gonzalez saw the Nizams claim the win in Kochi. The result, though, was not damaging for the Yellow Army as they had already secured a fifth-place finish and the match was essentially a dead rubber.
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Kerala Blasters notably decided to start Ivan Kaliuzhnyi despite him walking a suspension tightrope. The Ukrainian will now miss the team's ISL playoff knockout game against Bengaluru FC after picking up his seventh yellow card of the season.
Asked what was the reasoning behind taking the risk with Kaliuzhnyi, Kerala Blasters head coach Ivan Vukomanovic replied:
"(We started Kaliuzhnyi) because we wanted him to play this game and we had clear communication also with him to be careful and not to do anything stupid.
"In that duel (for which he was booked), he didn't even see that player behind him. Then, in my opinion, again, the decision of referees, it was not even a yellow card.
"But then if you have 10 people jumping on you, influencing you, shouting at you... These kinds of things with the officials make us all frustrated throughout the season, everybody, not only us today, or just that decision."
Vukomanovic went on to express his frustration at the standard of refereeing in the game. He stated:
"We witnessed so many decisions like (that). In that situation, as a referee, you have to know, you have to see that he didn't do it purposefully. He didn't even see that player. To punish him like that (is harsh).
"Then, at the end, (Marko) Leskovic also, with that kind of a yellow card, it's better not to even speak about the referees' decisions. We had that meeting last year before the season started, how it will be, and so on.
"With all due respect, this season it was not the case, but we have to live with it, we have to accept those things."
The Serbian tactician also revealed that he had instructed Kaliuzhnyi to be cautious:
"Also, yesterday and today with Kaliuzhnyi, we had a talk that he had to take care of that (the suspension tightrope), but okay, now he's suspended. We have to do without him. We have enough players. We'll find somebody who'll be playing in the midfield."
Vukomanovic quickly turned his attention towards Vibin Mohanan, who started his first ISL match for Kerala Blasters on the evening. The midfielder was one of the only positives the home side had in the game. Heaping praise on the youngster, the coach said:
"Tonight, I'm happy with the performance of young Vibin. He showed his quality. I think playing more games, he'll get better and better.
"There's a huge potential for not only for Kerala Blasters, but also for Indian football because that kind of a fine technical player in the midfield, there's not a lot of them in India, so we're happy with that."
"We have enough players (who are able to play in central midfield) like Danish (Farooq), Ayush (Adhikar), and (Adrian) Luna. We'll find a solution. We'll try to be stronger in Bengaluru in the next game."
Asked if there were any other positives to take from the game, the 45-year-old explained:
"Let's say that we wanted to be the dominant side, we wanted to try to play football, to create something because we know that the fans also like to see that.
"We knew before the game that it would be about one goal again because when you face Hyderabad FC, who I think have conceded the least amount of goals this season, you know we're facing a tough team with a tough organization, (playing) physical football."
He added:
"I think that we were good till the last third, but we missed this last pass, this last lucidity of some players who can create that last moment of magic with a good pass. We missed that tonight.
"Again, Hyderabad FC are a very good team, they are with good reason second in the table, they are a tough side. We lost our game tonight, we have to prepare for (the playoff against Bengaluru FC on) Friday."
Vukomanovic also requested Kerala Blasters fans to flood Kanteerava when they face Bengaluru FC in their playoff tie:
"We wanted to finish in a good way, it wasn't the case. Again, the fans were splendid, a big thanks to them because they're our force. Hope they'll come in huge numbers to Bengaluru so we feel like we're at home because that was the case the last time."
The hosts struggled to create goalscoring chances in the defeat to Hyderabad FC. Asked what his plans are for the do-or-die match against Bengaluru FC, Vukomanovic replied:
"To try to create chances and to try to score goals, of course, because you know when you face these kinds of teams like Hyderabad FC, Bengaluru FC, they're well organized.
"Automatically, when you play here in front of your crowd, you want to be dominant, you want to play football, you want to try to create. If you face a good team and if you miss that last touch or the last moment of lucidity that the players have to create in the last third, then you face difficulties creating a chance.
"We were also not too quick in building up from behind where we were taking a lot of touches instead of passing the ball quickly and putting pace on the ball. All these things, of course, you play well enough if the opponents allow you to."
Vukomanovic also suggested that Kerala Blasters might take a pragmatic approach against Simon Grayson's side:
"Hyderabad FC were good tonight. We were trying to press, to push. In the end, they were trying to get us on the counter, that's the game.
"Of course, we think about those things (as) we go to Bengaluru. Maybe, we'll organize and just stay behind and try to get counter-attacks. We'll see."
"You're not a talent anymore" - Vukomanovic addresses Kerala Blasters star Sahal Abdul Samad's form
Kerala Blasters attacker Sahal Abdul Samad, who has struggled for form recently, appeared to be short of confidence against Hyderabad FC. Asked what was wrong with the player, Vukomanovic responded:
"It's a personal thing. When you're a player of 25-26 years of age, you're not a talent anymore, you're a senior player. If I'm not wrong, he has around 100 games maybe in this league, so he has experience, he has everything.
"It's a personal thing to get out of that zone (of poor form and confidence). Playing games, showing quality, gaining confidence, it's a personal thing. We, as coaching staff, always support every player, giving them playing time, talking in training sessions, and everything."
Vukomanovic stressed the need for the likes of Sahal to step up for his team at the business end of the season:
"When it comes to these kinds of situations, playing important games, first of all, where the stakes are high, then the players have to step up, they have to show quality, they have to show personality. That's the difference at the highest level.
"Seeing his performances last year, it was different because it was inside the bubble. This year, it's completely different with home-away games in front of crowds, but these kinds of things are personal."
The Blasters boss explained that only players can help themselves get out of a rut:
"I can talk about these experiences as a former player. Of course, in the beginning of your career, you struggle thinking (about different things), but then in one moment it just disappears, you get used to it.
"Playing in front of fans is a pleasure. So, every player has to overcome this kind of (a period of) not having confidence. They have to make it right, so hopefully that'll be alright."
As Kerala Blasters turn their attention towards the playoffs, Vukomanovic revealed what the team's plans are for the coming days. He said:
"Most of the players will have recovery tomorrow. Then, we'll have to organize because, in a big city like Bengaluru, there's not one training ground that you can go and practice in.
"So, we have to organize our training sessions here. The last time we played in Bengaluru, we went there hoping that we'll get a pitch to train, but that wasn't the case. It wasn't even possible to go there, so we skipped that training."
He added:
"Now, we know that we won't have a football pitch in Bengaluru to practice, so we'll organize our programs here (starting with) tomorrow to recover. Some players will train a little bit more tomorrow and then just refresh because now when the playoffs start you don't have time to train anymore."
Vukomanovic concluded:
"It's only games, recovery, refreshing... games, recovering, refreshing. Most probably many players will suffer (because of) that. That's the case, that's the format of this league, and you have to get with it.
"There's nothing that you can invent. You just have to mix and match and see how some players respond and get the best of it. That's what we're going to do."
Kerala Blasters will face Bengaluru FC in their ISL playoff tie at Kanteerava on Friday (March 3).