No more half measures, says Westwood; Blasters get ready for first gameweek

The Indian Super League 2026/27 season has kicked off in all its grandeur, and all eyes are now on the biggest crowd pullers of the competition to commence their season, preferably with a win. Kerala Blasters are set for their first game of the campaign against Inter Kashi in Pune. Looking to bounce back off a topsy-turvy season, the Blasters arrive this time, revamped in every department except the head coach, Ashley Westwood. A new dawn is in promise for the fans, as the club looks to strengthen their deficits under the regime of the new ownership, Al Fursan Group.

The club has been under scrutiny for the past few seasons, due to a lacklustre intent in football operations by the previous owners. With underwhelming signings, constant departures of players and consistently mediocre displays, fans staging boycotts to draw the attention of the board was quite a common scenario for the club.

The previous season showcased the pinnacle of chaos for the club with a delayed league, unforeseen departure of players and a manager sacked mid-season. Ashley Westwood pulled off a footballing miracle to get the team to compete and find a way out of the relegation zone under limited time and resources coming in and out through the season.

The takeover instills new hope in the fans. The revamped board worked with the previous sporting staff under a manager-led model, with Westwood at the helm to convince players from his shortlist to join the club in limited time. The delay in finalising formalities, however, has negatively impacted the club’s pre-season preparations. Having camped for only under two weeks of training, the club were not able to play a pre-season friendly and will directly feature in a competitive fixture. The limited time has also restricted the board from completing signings before the beginning of the season, while the players who arrive get little time to settle in.

As lack of preparation seems to challenge the club’s chances in the opening games, the head coach refuses to compromise the team’s performance based on one sole reason. “We've only been together for a week, and players have been arriving slowly. We’re still two foreigners and a couple of members of staff outstanding.”

“The plan is to build, be consistent and hopefully try to play some entertaining football for fans. We have got winners at this football club. Whether we'll have enough is another question, but our sole aim is to win every match, and to win trophies. People don't come to India or from all over India unless you're in it to win it, and that's what we are,” the Kerala Blasters coach said.

“We haven't had enough time, but that's what it is. If we lose, I'm not going to start crying and saying we've not had enough time. That's the hand we have. If you play poker and you get a pair of threes, you've got to deal with it. You've got to bluff your way through, and come up with a solution to win it. Once the season kicks off, we won't talk about it again. As the time gets longer, we'll get stronger,” added Westwood, citing his plans for the season.

Blessed with a pool of young Indian footballers, Westwood will have quality even in limited choices from the dugout. The breakout star from a comical season, Ebindas Yesudasan, has extended his contract with the club while local boy Mohammed Sanan joins the squad freshly off a spectacular stint with the Indian national team. The club has also secured a high-profile attacker in Andre Green, who will bring his vast experience across Europe.

“We've tried to assemble a competitive squad. Historically, I've played young players. The best players play. It doesn't matter where you're from or how old you are. We judge everybody on a clean slate and pick the best team. Many teams can look good on paper, but let's see if we're good enough,” said an optimistic Westwood.

Inter Kashi is expected to field an all Indian line up following a transfer embargo and a struggle to find a stadium, ruling out any home advantage in the early stages of the league. As the opening game approaches, Kerala Blasters will be out of Bikash Yumnam after the defender suffered a pulled calf muscle and will be sidelined for about a month. The fixture will kick off at 5 pm IST.

Kerala Blasters FC Squad for Indian Super League 2026-27

Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Arsh Anwar Shaikh, Al Sabith

Defenders: Sandeep Singh, Hormipam Ruivah, James Bolton, Jaganath Jayan, Aiban Dohling, Bikash Yumnam, Fallou Ndiaye, Naocha Singh Huidrom, Amey Ranawade, Sumit Sharma

Midfielders: Freddy Lallawmawma, Vibin Mohanan, Adrian Luna, Sahil Tavora, Paul Ramfangzauva, Nebojsa Kosovoc, Joel Lalramengmawia, Ebindas Yesudas

Forwards: Korou Singh, Andre Jay Green, Mohammed Sanan, Mohammad Yasir, Sreekuttan MS, Ramhlunchhunga, Momo Yansane

Coaching and Support Staff

Head Coach: Ashley Westwood
Assistant Manager: Hasney Aljofree
Assistant Coach: Amit Rana
Goalkeeping Coach: Felix D’Souza