Distressing defeats; Kerala Blasters sacks head coach Michael Stahre

Kochi: In the wake of the dismal performances of the club during the ongoing season, Kerala Blasters FC sacks their head coach Mikael Stahre. Kerala Blasters FC confirms that Head Coach Mikael Stahre, along with Assistant Coaches Björn Wesström and Frederico Pereira Morais, have left their respective roles with immediate effect.The club announced the decision through social media. 

The club says that the new head coach will be announced in due course. They sincerely thank Mikael, Björn, and Frederico for their contributions throughout their time with Kerala Blasters FC. “ We wish them nothing but success in their future endeavours”, club said. 

Till the new appointment is confirmed, KBFC’s Reserve Team Head Coach and Head of Youth Development, Tomasz Tchórz and assistant coach, TG Purushothaman will take over the responsibility of managing the First Team.

The team failed to meet expectations this season. Currently, the Blasters are in 10th place on the table with just 11 points from 12 matches. They have managed to secure wins in only three games, while two matches ended in draws and seven resulted in defeats. Following consecutive losses, fan groups like the Manjappada had already expressed their dissatisfaction. In their last match, the Blasters lost to Mohun Bagan by three goals to two.

Mikael Stahre had taken over as head coach at the start of the season, replacing Ivan Vukomanovic. The 46-year-old had signed a contract with the Blasters until 2026. Stahre brings extensive coaching experience, having managed clubs in Sweden, Greece, China, the USA, and Thailand. With nearly two decades of coaching experience, Stahre has handled over 400 matches across various clubs. He began his coaching career with Swedish club Väsby United and became the head coach of AIK in 2009.