Kerala Blasters assistant coach Peter Hartley says he never saw fan boycott as a player

“Whether they are watching from home or the stadium is irrelevant right now. The only thing we care about is making them proud,” said Peter Hartley, assistant coach at Kerala Blasters.

The Englishman was talking about the majority of the fans of Kerala Blasters, who have been boycotting the club’s home matches at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi over alleged mismanagement.

Hartley, who recently joined the Blasters camp, will be in charge of the Indian Super League home match against Odisha FC on April 23. Ashley Westwood, the interim boss, who has overseen a turnaround with two wins and a draw in the last four rounds, is suspended.

The 38-year-old Hartley is new to coaching, having played until 2024. He spent the majority of his playing days in the UK, representing clubs such as Sunderland, Hartlepool United, Plymouth Argyle and Bristol Rovers before joining Jamshedpur FC.

In the pre-match press conference in Kochi on Wednesday, Hartley was asked if he had encountered a similar fan boycott during his playing days. He replied: “No, not as a player.”

The former defender was asked what the players and the coaching staff could do to bring the fans back to the stadium. “What we can do is bring the best version of ourselves. The coaching staff at Kerala Blasters are trying to put a team on the pitch that can make the fans very proud.

“Whether they are watching from home or the stadium is irrelevant right now. The only thing we care about is making them proud.”

The Kerala Blasters are unbeaten in three matches, climbing to the 11th position in the 14-team ISL table. After Odisha, the Blasters host Mohammedan SC (May 10) and FC Goa (May 17).