"The whistle signal must be respected" - Ivan Vukomanovic draws parallel example to Sunil Chhetri's controversial goal
About six months have passed since the incident involving Kerala Blasters FC’s head coach Ivan Vukomanovic leaving the field in protest of a referee's decision. However, the debate over the decision still continues among both fans and pundits alike.
The nerve-racking ISL playoff game between Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters FC saw Sunil Chhetri take a quick free-kick in the seventh minute of extra time, which found the back of the net. It appeared that the Blasters' players were caught off guard, and the referee had not yet blown the whistle.
Despite this, the goal was given, prompting Vukomanovic to step onto the field and call his players to leave in protest of the decision. The Yellow Army did not return, ultimately resulting in Bengaluru FC being declared the victors.
While this incident had significant repercussions for both the club and Vukomanovic himself, the Serbian coach took to social media to bring attention to a similar event that recently happened in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Football League.
In a game between Saravejo FC and Posusje FC, Saravejo took a quick free-kick that found the net after the referee used his vanishing spray to mark the position. However, in contrast to the ISL encounter, the referee promptly issued a yellow card to the player who took the free-kick prematurely, before the whistle was blown.
Here is Vukomanovic's post about the referee's decision:
Kerala Blasters FC start the 2023-24 season in a disappointing fashion
Kerala Blasters FC arrived into the season with troubles off the field due to the walk-off incident. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) imposed a fine of ₹4 crore rupees on the club, while Vukomanovic faced consequences in the form of a 10-match ban and a ₹5 lakh rupee fine.
Amidst financial difficulties, the Blasters made the decision to temporarily discontinue their women’s team. Additionally, they experienced departures, including the loss of Sahal Abdul Samad, along with several other transfers.
Their participation in the Durand Cup also began on a less-than-ideal note, as they suffered a 4-3 defeat to rivals Gokulam Kerala FC despite fielding a strong squad.
In the subsequent game, they secured only a draw against Bengaluru FC's reserve team, effectively sealing their exit from the competition. With Vukomanovic still serving his suspension, Kerala Blasters find themselves facing a challenging situation ahead of the new season.
However, the team remains determined and is set to travel to the UAE to play three pre-season friendly matches, where they will hope to improve their performances.