"We're among the best and we want to stay there" - Ivan Vukomanovic reflects on Kerala Blasters' ISL 2022-23 win against Jamshedpur FC
Kerala Blasters earned a 3-1 victory over Jamshedpur FC in their 12th match of the 2022-23 Indian Super League (ISL) season at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Tuesday (January 3).
Apostolos Giannou opened the scoring for Kerala Blasters with a cheeky backheel goal just nine minutes into the match although he seemed offside. Daniel Chima Chukwu, though, equalized for Jamshedpur FC eight minutes later.
Greek striker Dimitrios Diamantakos put the Kochi outfit in front again with a penalty just after the half-hour mark. Kerala Blasters sealed the win with a wonderful team goal that saw Adrian Luna find the back of the net.
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Kerala Blasters are currently unbeaten in their last eight ISL matches and sit third in the table. Asked if he was satisfied with what he saw from his team on the night, the team's head coach Ivan Vukomanovic said:
"Yes, because again, we're coming to the topic that we're in the most important part of the season. Again, the whole of December and the first part of January are crucial for the ISL competition.
"If, as a team, you're capable enough to stay in a positive line, collect points, try to stay unbeatable, then you're on the right path. So, I think that, again, after a few changes of the season, with new faces and everything, we started rebuilding the new team with new players, and so far, we're happy with the progress, we're happy with the improvement of many players, how they fit into the team with youngsters coming into the team."
The Serbian added:
"So, it's a kind of a process that you have to respect. Of course, when you sit again in a positive flow and momentum of eight games in a row without defeat. Again, for Kerala Blasters, it's something special, that's for sure, seeing our past, not only last season, but also in the previous seasons, where, as a club, we were struggling a lot, reaching higher levels.
"And, now, second year in a row, we're among the best, and we want to stay there. As a coach, it was delightful tonight to see the boys enjoying this game, playing nice quality football, with combinations. So, it was really a pleasure.Happy with the victory and hope to continue on a good way."
Kerala Blasters, though, seemed susceptible to conceding chances on the counter-attack, especially in the first half. Quizzed if that was due to Ivan Kaliuzhnyi's absence in midfield, Vukomanovic replied:
"From one side, we could say that, but actually Adrian [Luna] did a great job in central midfield. I think Adrian was magnificent, he knows all the positions. Even if you put Adrian in a full-back position, he'll do it without a problem."
Vukomanovic went on to explain that Kerala Blasters anticipated that Jamshedpur FC would play a three-man defense and believes his team managed to exploit the space on the flanks. He said:
"In the first half, we knew that Jamshedpur FC would play in a different formation, that's the formation they played the last game against FC Goa at home and they did it good, and actually, with that confidence they had throughout the whole game even though they conceded that late goal in that draw, they were good.
"We were expecting them to start the game in the same manner. And then, we wanted to be more organized and focused on our compact lines, and then, from that position trying to use those empty spaces on the sides because when you play against that formation, there is space that you can create very often situations, two against one on the side.
"The boys, they did it really well. In the first half we created many chances, we had many situations in the box of our opponents, which resulted in two goals. There were many other situations where we could have scored. I think Apo [Giannou] also had one header that Eli Sabia saved on the line."
Vukomanovic, though, admitted that the Men of Steel gave the Blasters a few problems after they changed their system in the second half, saying:
"As a team, as a coach, when you practice certain things, and you see that happen on the pitch, you're happy. In the second half, it was a little bit, again, of a struggle because they changed the system a little bit, then it was an open fight."
"We knew that we have to deal with long balls, we knew that we have to deal with duels, second balls, and again, the boys were good. We know that we're in a very difficult important and difficult moment, especially, last week, we were talking about Christmas period, New Year, everybody is casual, and we as a team, we don't want to be casual."
The 45-year-old then expressed his delight at claiming the three points. He explained:
"So, we want to continue the same way. Of course, delighted with the three points because now we're third in the rankings. I think we have more points than we had in this period last season. And, now with a positive flow of eight games in a row with defeat, hope to continue."
Having won seven of their eight ISL matches, Kerala Blasters are high on confidence. However, Vukomanovic feels there is always room for improvement for his team. He elucidated:
"As a coach, when you look your previous game... let's say, tomorrow, when we sleep over and when you think about certain situations that you didn't like in your previous game, then with the coaching staff, there are talks, and you decide to work on certain topics, whether it be working on your defensive lines or offensive movements or some other things.
"That's the beauty of football job and coaching job, it's a never ending job. So, it can never happen that at one point, as a coach, you sit down and say 'Okay, everything is perfect', no! It never happens.
"So, as a coach, there is always something that we have to improve. If not with the team, then on individual basis that you take a group of players... So, we'll continue because many of these young boys have just started at the ISL level, many of these guys didn't have a proper pre-season period with us."
The Kerala Blasters tactician then disclosed that four his players had to take antibiotics to play against Jamshedpur FC. He revealed:
"Also, today we had four players playing with antibiotics. They had flu, they were not feeling good, throat problems and everything. Dimi, Apo, Jessel [Carneiro], and Luna were playing today on antibiotics.
"So, it's a great thing to see them, also in difficult circumstances, playing that game the way they played. Of course, as a coach, we have to continue working every day, so we cannot stop."
Giannou staked a claim to be in Kerala Blasters' starting line-up against Mumbai City FC this weekend. However, Vukomanovic could be tempted to bring Kaliuzhnyi, who has served his one-match suspension, back into the team. Asked about the impending selection headache, the he said:
"In our work, at Kerala Blasters, we're very honest to each other. As a coach, I always communicate with players in advance what are our plans, how we want to play, what we want to achieve.
"Of course, there's a rule that there can only be four foreigners on the pitch. So, for a coach, it's a kind of a luxury problem to pick the right combination, but, anyway, anybody can play.
"I'm really happy that so far we have not one injured player [except Bijoy Varghese]. So, that's a good thing from our side that we can deal with that. Then, as a coach, you make a decision and you make a choice."
He added:
"The boys, they know the job, they're professionals, and they know how it goes in football. So, for us, it's not a headache. It's kind of making a decision and practising the things depending always on your opponents, whether you want to play with a foreign midfielder or you want to play three players up front, so it depends.
"Now, for the next game, tonight we'll sleep over and then we'll see in the next days to prepare for the next game."
Vukomanovic explains how Kerala Blasters attacker Rahul KP can improve
Rahul KP has established himself as a regular starter for Kerala Blasters on the right flank this season. While he has displayed quality with the ball at his feet, he has often struggled to finish off chances.
Responding to a question posed by Sportskeeda, Vukomanovic explained how the young Indian attacker can improve his game:
"Repeating many things in the last third, speaking about movements and finishing every time when we have these individual sessions. You must know, in football, it happens once a while that one country and one regions gets one player like a gift from God, speaking about Messi or some other guys like Luka Modric in Croatia, and then you can create many things around those players."
"Every other aspect of the football game, as a coach, you have to work with the players. You recognize talent, you recognize potential, and then it's work. Whoever we speak about... Rahul, Dimi, Sahal, Nihal, Bryce, any player, they have to work because nobody is born with that quality, and nobody has learned that from his birth."
He added:
"The work that you repeat everyday, every training, you have to repeat that. If it happens during the game, you recognize it and do it in the proper way. As a coach, I'd never dare to tell the players what they have to do with the ball when they have the ball on the pitch. We provide them with options and it's about them and their decision-making.
"So, he doesn't have to be worried. He just has to continue. Last year, he had a bad season, he missed the whole season [through injury]. Now, he's back, he needs consistency, support from everybody. He's a great guy, I like him, he's a good player. I hope that he will contribute to this team even more in the next period."
Kerala Blasters are scheduled to lock horns with ISL table-toppers Mumbai City FC away from home on Sunday, January 8.