Kerala Blasters extends the contract of head coach Ivan Vukomanovic till 2025
Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters announced the contract extension of their head coach Ivan Vukomanovic for three years on Monday. The new contract will see the Serbian tactician at the helm till 2025.
This decision does not come as a surprise since Vukomanovic did a fantastic job in only his maiden season in Indian football. Under his stewardship, the Tuskers qualified for the semi-finals for the first time since 2016, albeit they faltered in the very last hurdle against Hyderabad.
Announcing the contract extension, Kerala Blasters stated
“Since joining Kerala Blasters, Ivan has had a transformational effect on the club’s playing style and has guided the team to its third ISL finals appearance, setting a string of significant club records along the way.”
The Tuskers finished fourth in the league phase of ISL 2021-22, winning nine of their 20 fixtures and accumulating 34 points in the process. Besides an attractive style of football, Vukomanovic also justifiably garnered praise for unearthing and nurturing many young prospects in the likes of goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Gill, central defender Ruivah Hormipam, and winger Vincy Barretto.
“Since we started our cooperation last year, I felt the right energy and emotion around this beautiful club. I was immediately attracted by the people leading this project, by fans, and Kerala. Today, we have a great opportunity to continue in the same direction with more commitment and dedication. I am very pleased and happy with this contract extension. Hope that we all will have even more motivation to be better in next seasons,”
the Serbian said about extending his stay in India.
Ivan Vukomanovic took Kerala Blasters to the semi-finals for the first time since 2016
If he indeed stays at the club till 2025, this will be Vukomanovic’s longest stint for a team. He previously had spent two years at Belgian side Standard Liege – the first year as an assistant and then as a manager, one year at Slovakian side Slovan Bratislava, and a year at Cypriot outfit Apollon Limassol.
This news comes as a sigh of relief for the Manjappada who dearly wanted their boss to experience the electrifying atmosphere at Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The Tuskers’ Lithuanian sporting director Karolis Skinkys expressed his delight by saying
“I’m happy that we agreed on a three-year deal with Ivan. He adapted seamlessly and is an integral part of the Blasters family. I think it is an important move for our club, and we now have a strong base to continue our work with consistency and achieve more goals. I would like to congratulate all Kerala Blasters fans with this extension.”