Kerala Blasters have announced their official squad for the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 season. The squad coached by Ivan Vukomanović and under the captaincy of Jessel Carneiro, the team is preparing for the opening match against East Bengal on October 7, 2022, in Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kochi.
Heading into the Indian Super League 2022-23, the Blasters had a busy summer transfer period. Long-term extensions for several players will help the club to keep their core group of players intact with as many as 16 players from last season making the list again.
Under head coach Ivan Vukomanovic, there is further enthusiasm this season. With the fans back in the stands to support them, Blasters will now look forward to lifting the ISL 2022-23 trophy with renewed vigor taken out during the ISL preseason matches.
“We are entering the race for the ISL 2022-2023 season with the dream of winning the title. The Club has given serious care regarding keeping our core players intact through contract extensions to provide stability and to build on the Club’s sporting plans. Blasters have a nice blend of youth and experienced players, the entire team is on a journey to achieve what was lost last season. Also, Kerala Blasters FC is excited as our fans are back in the stands,” said Blasters’ Sporting Director, Karolis Skinkys.
This season, Kerala Blasters have fulfilled the mandatory Development player’ criteria through their young set of players. Within the 28-men squad, there are seven Malayali players, Rahul K.P, Sahal Abdul Samad, Sreekuttan, Sachin Suresh, Nihal Sudeesh, Vibin Mohanan and Bijoy Varghese. Australian forward, Apostolos Giannou, comes in as the only International AFC player in the squad.
Kerala Blasters squad for ISL 2022-23 Goalkeepers: Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Karanjit Singh, Muheet Shabir, Sachin Suresh Defenders: Victor Mongil, Marko Leskovic, Hormipam Ruivah, Sandeep Singh, Bijoy Varghese, Nishu Kumar, Jessel Carneiro, Harmanjot Khabra Midfielders: Jeakson Singh, Ivan Kaliuzhnyi, Lalthathanga Khawlhring, Ayush Adhikari, Saurav, Adrian Luna, Sahal Abdul Samad, Bryce Brian Miranda, Vibin Mohanan, Nihal Sudeesh, Givson Singh Forwards: Dimitrios Diamantakos, Rahul K.P, Apostolos Giannou, Bidyashagar Singh, Sreekuttan
Lifting the lid on his transfer to Kerala Blasters, Giannou makes it clear that the move did not come out of the blue. He discloses that he has been thinking about trying his hand in India for a while and that a transfer to the Yellow Army was in the pipeline for over two years. He reveals:
"I've been having, for the last two years, talks with Kerala Blasters, with Karolis [Skinkys, the sporting director]. But every time he spoke to me, I was contracted to another team and it wasn't the right time. I felt now this [was the right] time, at the age of 32, I think also the league is becoming more popular and better in quality. So I think it was the right time, a good moment to experience this and to come here [and join Kerala Blasters]."
When it came to persuading him to join Kerala Blasters, it was sporting director Karolis Skinkys who was at the center of negotiations. The striker explains how the Lithuanian assured him that a transfer to Kerala Blasters was the right move for him:
"It was, of course talking with him [Skinkys] and making it more clear how the Kerala Blasters team operates and what he wants to achieve. It made me feel that it sounds like a good opportunity and that it will be good for my career, for my style of play."
Three goals, fifty thousand roaring fans, a whole lot of love. Kerala Blasters could not have asked for a better opening night than the one they got against East Bengal. The two Ivans - Vukomanovic and Kalyuzhnyi - were the toasts of an entire state.
They then opened the second match against ATK Mohun Bagan with a verve and quality that (arguably) had never been seen before in the Kaloor stadium. The one-touch passing was rapid, the off-the-ball movement delicious and the goal Kalyuzhnyi scored was *chef's kiss*.
Then, suddenly, things went downhill. Over the next hour, Bagan ripped through the Blasters' backline with absurd ease as they scored five of the simplest-looking goals you'll ever see. Even as the Blasters created (and missed) chances at the other end, the absurd naivety of their defending was hard viewing for the capacity crowd. It was a sobering end to what had looked like a cracking ten-day long party and Vukomanovic will hope the wakeup call has come at the right time.
Nuo 2020 metų kovo mėnesio Keralos „Blasters” klube dirbantis 33-ejų metų Karolis Skinkys sužavėjo klubo vadovus savo darbu ir „Blasters“ su lietuviu pratęsė sutartį net iki 2028 metų vasaros.
„Malonu pranešti apie artimiausių metų karjeros planus. Keralos „Blasters“ klubas ypatinga vieta pilna puikių žmonių ir profesionalų. Džiaugiuosi, kad sulaukiau pasitikėjimo iš klubo savininkų dirbti toliau ir padėti klubui augti. Kai kas jau padaryta, bet vis dar galima tobulėti ir siekti daugiau. Šalia kitų svarbių tikslų, kuriuos turime pasiekti, be abejo didžiausias, kad Keralos fanai galėtų džiaugtis čempionų titulu! Tikiuosi, kad galėsime tai įvykdyti artimiausiu metu“, – savo facebook profilyje rašė K.Skinkys.
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