The 2018-19 campaign of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) is almost here. With a little more than a week to go before the opening day clash between ATK and Kerala Blasters, indiansuperleague.com caught up with the head coach of Blasters David James, who was joined by Anas Edathodika and Courage Pekuson to address questions at the event.

Fine-tuning ahead of the big day

The Blasters were the first team from the league to begin their pre-season preparations for the new campaign. The Toyota Yaris LaLiga World tournament in July, which featured the likes of Melbourne City FC and Girona FC, provided the much-needed international exposure for the Blasters.

While speaking about their pre-season campaign, David James said, “Well, pre-season is always a tricky time for players and a team because, obviously, you have to try and get players to be match-fit and up to speed with the football. I don't need the team to be winning the pre-season battles, but I think they need to be ready for the 29th. At the moment, everything's going in the right direction.”

The 48-year-old also shed light on how he was planning to pan out the long season. “Well, football, first of all, is unpredictable. So, I think, as far as Kerala Blasters go we're looking for consistency and commitment. Of course, our fans demand a certain style of play, a certain level of commitment and desire. I don't think I have a problem with fulfilling that this season. But first and foremost, we have to be committed and show the desire that our fans want and the inconsistencies will only be a football thing, not a Kerala Blasters thing.”

Courage Pekuson - Iceman

Despite a disappointing campaign last time out, there were a few players from the team who stepped up to the plate, most notably Courage Pekuson. When asked if there was added pressure on him this season, the Ghanaian international shrugged off the suggestion, saying that he expects to reach greater heights. “I don't feel any pressure. It's something I have to do. It's my job as a midfielder, as a player. Every day I train for this, so I'm expecting something much bigger than what I had last season.”

Pekuson also shed light on some of the new strikers in the squad and what to expect from them. “We have good strikers. We have good attackers for this season as well. Even though we lost some attackers, we've got some new guys inside, so it's a game of chance. What we have, we rely on them and they will provide for us.”

Edathodika’s homecoming

Anas Edathodika, one of India’s top performing defenders, made the switch from Jamshedpur to Kerala Blasters this season. The Malappuram native spoke of his delight on returning to his home state to play in front of the passionate Kerala supporters.

“I’m really happy to play for Kerala Blasters. This is the first time I got the opportunity to play for this club. Within the Hero ISL, they have top class fans and I’m happy to play for them. It’s my hometown. The support will also be good, which will be very important for us. There are players who are determined, aggressive, young, top-class and talented. So, it will be a great experience for me.”