Kerala Blasters — Once a title contender under Ivan Vukomanovic now struggles for relevance in ISL

Kerala Blasters’ 0-2 loss against Sporting Club Delhi on Sunday meant its winless streak continued at the midway stage of the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL) season.

The other side yet to win a match this season is Mohammedan SC, which has fielded an all-Indian team, compared to the Blasters, who have five overseas players in their ranks.

Still, a draw against East Bengal saw KBFC earn its only point – one that separates it from the relegation-threatened Kolkata club.

It was not long ago that the club was consistently playing in the knockouts and attracting an average of over 25,000 spectators to its hallowed Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. That number has not hit the five-digit mark this season.

The fall from grace might look sudden, but it has been coming for some time.

Where it began

Barring the infamous walkout, KBFC’s best era came under Ivan Vukomanovic, who took the club to the playoff stage in three consecutive seasons (including one final) from 2021 to 2024.

The success caught the eye of rival clubs, who had legacy and financial power to attract KBFC’s star players at the time.

Under head coach Ivan Vukomanovic, Kerala Blasters reached the ISL playoffs thrice, also entering the final in the 2021-22 season. | Photo Credit: ISL Media

Sahal Abdul Samad left for Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Dimitris Diamantakos to East Bengal, and Jorge Pereyra Díaz packed his bags for Mumbai City FC among major departures since the 2021-22 season.

Vukomanovic’s exit in 2024 was used as an opportunity to shake up the squad further, and the lack of consistency prompted protests, especially from ‘Manjapada’, the club’s official fan club.

The attendance, as a result, kept dwindling, dragging the club into a downward spiral financially.

The controllables

The new arrivals could hardly do much to douse the fire. The immediate need to catch up to the bigger clubs left no time for the newer players and managers to establish a structure.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjiqQYd9X5E[/embed]

Vukomanovic’s replacement, Mikael Stahre, lasted 16 games. His full-time successor, David Catala, 11. Together, they managed eight wins, fewer than what Vukomanovic had in his first season alone.

Last season, the team finished eighth, conceded 37 goals and recorded just five home wins in the league, the worst returns since the 2021-22 campaign.

Under Catala, the team crashed out of consecutive editions of the AIFF Super Cup, remained winless in the current ISL season (including four straight home losses) before he ‘stepped down by mutual consent’.

The Club can confirm that David Catala has stepped down from his role at the club by mutual consent.

We thank David for his professionalism and contribution during his time here.

The Club also extends its gratitude to Goalkeeping Coach Alex Ortiz and Strength & Conditioning… pic.twitter.com/MEc6LHMzas

— Kerala Blasters FC (@KeralaBlasters) March 27, 2026

The uncontrollables

Just like managers, the constant changes in the squad left the team without a fixed core. However, the point of blame must not be directed only at the club management.

The delayed start to the latest season due to issues in the Master Rights Agreement forced the club to temporarily suspend operations, which in turn left the players’ careers up in the air.

The uncertainty around the Indian Super League saw Kerala Blasters’ captain Adrian Luna leave on a season-long loan. | Photo Credit: ISL Media

Foreigners Koldo Obieta, Juan Rodriguez, and Tiago Alves, who joined ahead of this season, left amid uncertainty around the league. Meanwhile, ISL regulars Noah Sadaoui and Adrian Luna opted not to sit around for a solution, choosing to go on season-long loans.

On the contrary, clubs like Mohun Bagan and Mumbai City managed to largely retain their core, a reason for their dominance in the top half of the table.

What next?

KBFC’s hasty foreign signings as stopgap solutions underline the underplanning, following the league’s uncertainty.

For example, defender Oumar Bah, who was signed in January, “mutually parted ways” with the club after featuring in the first three league games and was replaced by Fallou Ndiaye.

With Catala not surviving the recent international break, English manager Ashley Westwood has now been given the responsibility to try to avoid disaster, i.e. relegation. And though he is well-versed in Indian and Asian football, he got a taste of what’s to come when his side produced a lacklustre showing against debutant SCD.

Blasters’ fate — around relegation — will be decided in a matter of months, and irrespective of the outcome, the bigger question remains: will the club pay heed to the warning signs before it’s too late?

Published on Apr 06, 2026

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