Indian Super League franchise Kerala Blasters Football Club (KBFC) has decided to part ways with head coach Kibu Vicuna after suffering a humiliating 4-0 loss against the Hyderabad FC on February 16. The defeat mathematically ruled them out of the race for playoffs.
The Spanish football manager Kibu Vicuna has enjoyed an elite coaching career over the last two decades, before moving to ISL in 2019. Vicuna worked at Mohun Bagan for one year before taking over at KBFC in 2020. After a disappointing season with only three wins in 18 games, KBFC decided to relieve Vicuna from his duties
After 18 league games, KBFC sits on 10th position in the league table. They have failed to stitch any sort of good run of performances throughout the season. The defense has been the biggest let down for KBFC as they have the worst defensive record in the division, conceding 33 goals in 18 games.
Vicuna has suffered due to lack of KBFC’s long-term planning. Prior to this season, the franchise decided to part ways with key players such as Sandesh Jhingan, Tiri, and Bartholomew Ogbeche. The departures of these three players led to a big drop off in the quality of performances.
The writing on the wall for Vicuna after the defeat against Hyderabad FC. In the post-match interview, he said, “Our scouting of the players were bad, the plans and expectations for the season were higher than the reality.”
KBFC is yet to announce the new appointment. They are likely to decide on new manager after the conclusion of this season. The Kerala based club will be looking to end the campaign on a high by winning remaining two games. KBFC is scheduled to play the Chennaiyin FC on February 21 and they would end their season on February 26 after playing against NorthEast United.