Kerala Blasters have confirmed that interim coaches will handle the first team for the remainder of the Indian Super League season.

The Blasters management communicated the decision to members of Manjappada after a meeting to resolve disputes with the fan group. According to the club, interim head coach T G Purushothaman and assistant coach Tomasz Tchorz will be in charge for the remaining eight league matches and any potential play-off games this season.

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The assistants stepped up after the club parted ways with Head Coach Mikael Stahre in mid-December. Under the Swede, the Blasters lost seven of their 12 ISL matches. Stahre had replaced fan favourite Ivan Vukomanovic ahead of the ongoing season.

Since Purushothaman and Tchorz took up the responsibility, the Blasters have won three of their last four. Tchorz was the head coach of the reserve team and Head of Youth Development.

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Dusan Lagator. Photo: KBFC
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No statement signings
The club also told the Manjappada that statement signings will not happen during the winter transfer window. The Blasters have let go of six players, including three on loan in one month, and signed just one player.

"There is an attempt to address the situation with at least one more signing if everything aligns," CEO Abhik Chatterjee told the Manjappada representatives. "Difficult to get every identified target in the winter window as teams will never release their key players while they are fighting for a play-off spot. All players are also run by the current coaching staff and are onboarded with their inputs," he said.

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The Blasters announced Montenegrin midfielder Dusan Lagator this week, their first January signing. Australian striker Jaushua Sotirio, whose two-year spell at the Blasters was disrupted by injuries, finally left the club in December.

Fan favourite Rahul K P ended his eventful five years, making a permanent switch to Odisha FC, while Saurav Mandal, Bryce Miranda and Prabir Das also left the Blasters on loan.