Kerala Blasters part ways with coach David James

It was supposed to be a long-term relationship. But the marriage between Kerala Blasters and David James has ended. 
Former Kerala Blasters FC head coach David James (Photo | Twitter/ Indian Super League)
Former Kerala Blasters FC head coach David James (Photo | Twitter/ Indian Super League)

KOCHI:  It was supposed to be a long-term relationship. But the marriage between Kerala Blasters and David James has ended. The ISL club parted ways with the English coach after he came under intense scrutiny for the poor performance of the team this season.

Although this wasn’t a surprise, it is interesting to note that prior to this season, James was handed a three-year contract, with officials stating that they had a vision for the club. 

They had put a lot of faith in James who had guided them to the final of the first edition before leaving. The Englishman returned to Blasters last season as interim manager after Rene Meulensteen was sacked.

However, in his first full season as coach, the team has struggled. Blasters are going through their worst run in ISL history with six draws and five defeats and are eighth in the league on nine points. They have only one win from 12 matches. The lowest point came in the 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Mumbai City FC.

“Kerala Blasters and David James have decided to end their association on a mutual consent. The club would like to thank David for his efforts towards the team and wishes him all the very best in his career,” said Kerala Blasters CEO Varun Tripuraneni in a statement released by the club on Tuesday.What worked against James was losing the support of the Kerala Blasters fans. They started boycotting home matches and took to social media to express their displeasure.

The results weren’t coming, his tactics were questioned and everything he did came up for debate and discussion. A section of fans started calling him clueless and cricticised the way he set his team up. Attendance fell into the 8,000 bracket for the last two home games, which was a substantial drop.

Before the Mumbai loss, they had lost 0-1 to a struggling Pune City as well. They were expected to beat a team who were down with injuries and suspensions. However, Kerala struggled to create chances and looked like a disjointed lot.

James has been put out of his misery now.

“I would like to thank the management, players and all the staff at Blasters for their support and friendship. I wish them all the best for the future. I am grateful to the supporters who stood by me. Thank you too, for making it a memorable experience,” James was quoted as saying in the club statement.

The club hasn’t announced a new appointment and assistant coach Thangboi Singto is expected to take charge on an interim basis.

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