Kerala Blasters have named Ivan Vukomanovic as their new head coach before the start of the 2021-2022 Hero Indian Super League season. Vukamanovic will replace former coach Kibu Vicuna as the new manager. Furthermore, Vukamanovic has become the first Serbian to join Kerala Blasters and he has the experience of coaching top clubs of Slovakia, Cyprus and Belgium.
Vukamanovic started his coaching career as an assistant coach for Belgian club Standard Liege in the 2013-14 season. Playing under his tutelage the team went on to win UEFA Europa league group stages for two years consecutively.
Before taking the coaching mantle, Vukamanovic played as a defender for various clubs and had a career of 15 years. His stints included French Club FC Bordeaux as well as FC Koln in Germany, Royal Antwerp in Belgium, Dynamo Moscow in Russia and Red Star Belgrade in Serbia.
Karolis Skinkys, Sporting Director, said: “I would like to congratulate Ivan on joining Kerala Blasters FC. It was a long process to choose the right candidate for the important head coach position. I think Ivan is the right fit for this big challenge and responsibility, someone who can handle the pressure here. I see his passion for the game, deep football knowledge and clear principles about football. I like his way of thinking and I believe that Ivan will be able to implement his football ideas in Kerala Blasters FC. We are looking forward to working in the same direction to help Kerala Blasters FC grow.”
Commenting on his appointment, Ivan Vukomanovic added: “From my first contact with the club’s directors, the feeling was positive. They have a professional approach about their vision, which gave me a very good feeling. After seeing the army of fans and support KBFC has, I didn’t hesitate a second. Immediately I knew that I wanted to become a member of the KBFC family, and I am very glad it happened. I hope we will all work together to make everyone who loves this beautiful club happy and proud. Yennum Yellow!”
Kerala Blasters had a disappointing previous season as they won only three matches out of their 20 and went on to finish at the 10th place. Ergo, Ivan Vukamanovic will look to turn the tables for the club in the forthcoming season.
