Thiruvananthapuram, April 20 -- Kerala Blasters FC (KBFC) endured a difficult Indian Super League (ISL) campaign this season, finishing outside the playoff spots for the first time in four years. Hopes were high at the start under new head coach Mikael Stahre, especially following the high-profile signings of Noah Sadaoui and Jesus Jimenez. However, an opening-day defeat set a challenging tone for the season. While the team briefly regained momentum with two wins and two draws in their next four matches, they ultimately struggled to maintain consistency, as per the official website of ISL.

Then came the real slump. The Blasters suffered six defeats in their following seven games -- a dismal run that led to the departure of Stahre, with a...