agencies
NEW DELHI, Apr 6: The Indian Super League (ISL) witnessed a first this week with Ivan Vukomanovic, who helmed Kerala Blasters FC's run into the 2021-22 final, signing a three-year contract extension, the longest ever by any head coach in the history of the event.
Vukomanovic-led Kerala Blasters to the ISL final for the first since 2016, taking over the club who could only achieve a second-bottom finish in the preceding season.
Vukomanovic is set to remain in charge of the club until the end of the 2024-25 season. Previously, the preferred trend in ISL had been rolling one-year extensions, instead of long-term contracts prevalent in developed football markets in the west.
Kerala Blasters, who reached the final this season after a six-year-long wait have had 11 coaches -- 8 permanent and 3 interims -- before Vukomanovic since 2014.
In a bid to bring stability, the club has now opted for a long-term vision. Other major clubs -- ATK Mohun Bagan and Mumbai City FC -- had already started this trend in Indian football, with both managerial and player recruitment policies.
"I'm happy that we agreed on a three-year deal with Ivan. He adapted seamlessly and is an integral part of the Blasters family. I think it is an important move for our club, and we now have a strong base to continue our work with consistency and achieve more goals," the club's Lithuanian Sporting Director Karolis Skinkys said.
Vukomanovic has been a major proponent of providing more opportunities to youngsters in the interest of Indian football.
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